His face darkened as he read.

The article had a headline which puzzled Drake for a moment.

It was entitled _The Drabious Duke_, and it proceeded to set out the episode of Gorley's court-martial and execution.

The facts, Drake recognised, were not exaggerated, but the sting lay in the suggestion with which it concluded.
'We have no doubt,' the leader-writer stated, 'that both the court-martial and execution were in accordance with the letter of the law, but, since Mr.Stephen Drake is now one of the legislators of this country, we feel it our duty to submit two facts for the consideration of our readers.

In the first place we would call attention to the secrecy in which the incident has been carefully shrouded.