Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-03-21

Now, Eustace had often, when in the
Shorts sitting room in the lodging house
in the Strand, heard the barrister James
hold forth learnedlv on the matter of
wills, and, therefore, he naturally enough
turned toward him in his recent dilemma.
Knowing the address of his chambers in
Pump court he hurried thither, and was
in due course admitted.
Mr. James Short was q short, stout
young man, with black eyes, a hooked
nose, and a prematurely bald head. In
deed, this badness of the head was the
only distinguishing mark between James
and John, and therefore a thing to be
thankful for, though, of course, useless
to the perplexed acquaintance who met
them in the street when their hats were
on At the moment of Eustace's entry
Mr.. Short had been engaged in studying
that intensely legal print, The Sporting
Times, which, however. from some IN
explained bashfulness, he had hastily
thrown under the table, filing its space
with a law book snatched at hazard from
the shelf
"An right, old fellow" said Eustace.
whose quick eyes had caught the quick
futter of the vanishing paper; don't be
alarmed, it's only me-"
"Ahr said Mr.. James Short, when he
had shaken hands with him, you see I
thought it might have been client-a
client is always possible, however i'm
probable, and one has to be ready to meet
the possibility"
Quite so, old fellow" said Eustace;
but do you know, as it happens, am
client-and big one, too; it is q matter
Of two millions of money-my uncle's
fortune. There was another will, and |
want to take your advice"
Mr.. Short fairly bounded out of his chair
in exultation, and then, struck by another
thought, sunk back into it again
MY dear Meeson," he said, Il am sorry
cannot hear you"
"Ehl' said Eustace, what do you
mean?'
Il mean that you are not accompanied
by a solicitor; and it is not the etiquette
of the profession to which belong to see
a client unaccompanied by solicitor"
"Oh, hang the etiquette Of the pro-
fession!"
My dear Meeson, if you came to me as
a friend l should be happy to give you
any legal information in my power, and
fatter myself that | know something of
matters connected with probate But you
yourself have said that you come as a
client, and in that case the personal rela-
tionship sinks into the background and is
superseded by the official relationship.
Under these circumstances it is evident
that the etiquette of the professor in
tervenes, which overmastering force COM
pels me to point out to you how improper
and contrary to precedent it would be for
me to listen to you without the presence
of properly qualified solicitor"
"Oh, LordN gasped Eustace, Il had no
idea that you were so particular; l
thought that perhaps you would be glad
of the job"
ertainly-certainly In the present
state of my practice, as he glanced at the
solitary brief, Il should be the last to wish
to turn away work. Let me suggest that
you should go and consult my brother
John in the Poultry. believe business
is rather slack with him Just now, so l
think it probable that you will find him
disengaged. Indeed, | dare say that
may go so far as to make an appointment
for him here-let us say in an hours
time. Stopl will consult my clerkl'
"Dick!"
The infant appeared.
Il believe that have no appointment
for this morning?"
''No, sir, said Dick, with twinkle in
his eye. Zone moment, sir; l will consult
the book" and he vanished, to return
presently with the information that Mr.
Shorts time was not under any contribu-
lions that day
very good" said Mr.. Short; "then
make an entry of an appointment with
Mr.. John Short and Mr.. Meeson at 2 pre-
cisely."
Eyes, sir" said Dick, departing to the
unGccustomed task.
AS soon as Eustace had departed from
Tweedledum to Tweedledee, or, in other
words, from James, barrister, to John,
solicitor, Dick was again summoned and
babe to go to certain Mr. Thomson on
the next floor. Mr.. Thomson had an ex-
cellent library, which had come to him by
will. On the strength of this bequest he
had become barrister at law, and the OBJ
ject of Dicks visit was to request the
loan of the eighth volume Of the Statutes
Revised, containing Wills act of Vic. cap.
rs, Brown on Probate, " Dixon on Pro
bate" and "Powles ON Brown" to the
study of which valuable books Mr.. James
Short devoted himself earnestly while
awaiting his clients return
Meanwhile Eustace had made his way
in twopenny bus to one of those busy
courts in the city where Mr.. John Short
practiced as a solicitor Mr. Shorts Office
was, Eustace discovered by referring to
notice board, on the seventh floor of one
of the tallest houses he had ever seen.
However, up he went with stout heart,
and, after some five minutes of a struggle,
that reminded him forcibly of climbing
the ladders of a Cornish mine, he arrived
at a little door right at the top of the
house, on which was painted: MIR John
Short, solicitor" Eustace knocked and
the door was opened by small boy, so
like the small boy he had seen at Mr.
James Shorts chambers at the Temple
that he fairly started. Afterward the
mystery was explained Like their mas
tiers, the two small boys were brothers.
Mr.. John Short was within, and Eustace
was ushered into his presence. To all ap-
pearances he was consulting voluminous
mass of correspondence written on large
sheets of brief paper; but when he looked
at it closely it seemed to Eustace that the
edges of the paper were very yellow and
that the ink was much faded. This, how
ever, was not to be wondered at, seeing
that Mr.. John Short had taken them over
nth the othor fixtures Of the office.
CHAPTER XVI.
SHORT ON LEGAL ETIQUETTE.