The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-05-07

not, then, because you have been SO
kind. will put my pride in my pocket
and take all the help shall need
After that there was nothing for it
but to let her have her way, or at least
agree to let her think she had it. Yet
the very next day Mr.. Payne rode to
Oldbridge, intending to bid his own
lawyer, Judge Graball, take the case
and spare no pains, looking to him for
fees. The judge heard him half through,
the while fidgeting in his chair, then
broke in upon the old gentleman, who,
between haste and wrath, was short Of
breath:
"See here, Payne, a man may be q
lawyer without being also an uncon-
scionable scoundrel. Take that easel
You couldn't keep me out of it with
log chain. Rob McGregor is my old col
lege chum. Do you think his daughter
needs any surety with me? Besides all
that, I'm aching for chance to get at
Lawyer Howell. He's the very sharpest
scoundrel at our bar, and that's saying
q heap for him. don t mind admitting
to you that ON the surface he has far the
better case. Still, law is like poker in
this-a pair of bowie knives have been
known to beat four aces, especially
when there is reason to think the deal
was not strictly fair. I'd fight the thing
through with pleasure if the girl were
a mers oozy lump instead OF the best
grit I've seen this 30 years. shall not
forget-it's worth remembering, tell
you-the way she came here, white and
dry eyed, telling me. in the straightest,
cool fashion, all she had to fear-facts,
not feelings, too, mind you, not a word
of surmise or Numbering from begin
ming to end. If courage were ponder
able quality, swear she'd weigh all of
q ton. She's an inspiration. If I can't
win her suit outright, I'll keep the thing
hanging 20 years or as long as the other
side chooses to stand up to the rack. "
Judge Graball had the name of being
q mighty hard man, one who, it was
said, cared for nothing beyond law and
the emoluments thereof. Naturally Mr..
Payne left him in state of jubilant
amazement. As he went out of the Office
he encountered Colonel Talbot, with
doubt, upon an errand like his own.
"No use to go there" he said, nod
ding to the door behind him. 81 tried,
but Graball snapped me up SO haven't
quite got back my BREATH "
$50 he is retained for the other side,"
Jack said, his face falling. "Well, there
are more lawyers in town if none quite
so good.
"Oh, you won't need to hunt themp
Mr.. Payne said, with chuckle. "Grab-
all has fallen in love with the case, he
says-I believe it's the client-so much
in love he might fling you out of the
window if you went talking money, as
did. "
Rob smiled denu'ely when she came
to know the result Of these embassies.
Then she said, with dim eyes, looking
away to where her father sat in the sun:
"Only help lee to keep him happy until
until we know the end. That is, more
than anything, the very best help you
can give.
They had agreed with her and gladly
done her bidding. No hint, no whisper,
of coming trouble reached the blind
man. He knew only that somehow he
was happier, had more company and
more of friendly sympathy than for some
years back. He was glad of it too. He
felt himself weakening daily, and as life
slipped from him he came to prize more
and more the kindly human contact that
gilded his darkness
Rob was unutterably tender Of him.
She marked his falling away, but let no
trace of grief and dread creep into her
voice. Instead she was gay and high
with him, full Of quips and cranky jests,
making a pretense Of filching the gold
InbUh