The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-06-06

lty lnat was PLAINLY the outcome Of a
long practice. When 1 stopped, they
stopped also, and the blind man ad-
dressed me. His voice was deep, and
had a note of pathos in it impossible
to describe. 1t may have been that
I was a little sad that afternoon, for
both the men who had been condemned
to penal seryitude had wives and
children, to whose pitiful condition
the learned judge had referred when
passing sentence.
you are Mr.. Fairfax, are you not?"
inquired the taller of the men.
"That is my name," 1 admitted.
"What can I do for you?"
"1f we could persuade you te vouch-
safe us an hour of your valuable time
we should be more grateful than we
could say" the nan replied. "We have
an important piece of business which
it might possibly be to your advantage
to take up. AT any rate, it would be
worthy of your consideration"
'But why have you not come to me
before?" 1 inquired. "You have seen
me in court every day. Why do you
wait until the case is at an end?"
Because we wanted to be quite sure
of you," he answered. "Our case is so
large and of such vital Importance to
us, that we did not desire to run any
risk of losing you. We thought we
would wait and familiarize ourselves
with all that you have done in this
affair before coming to you.ENow we
are satisfied that we could not place
our case in better hands, and what we
are anxious to do is to induce you to
interest yourself in it and take it up"
"lou pay me a very high compli-
ment," l said, but cannot give you
a decision at once. 1 must hear what
it is that you want me to do and have
time to think it over, before l can an
swer you. That is my invariable rule,
and l never depart from it. Do you
know my Officer"
"We know it perfectly" returned the
Blind man. cit would be strange if we
did not, seeing that we have stood out
side it repeatedly, trying to summon
up courage to enter. Would it be pos
sible for you to grant us an interview
tonight"
81 fear not" I said. ST am tired,
and stand in need of rest. If you care
to come tomorrow morning, I shall be
very pleased to see you. But you must
bear in mind the fact hat my time is
valuable, and that it is only a certain
c.ass of cases that l care to take up per-
sonally."
''We are not afraid of our case" the
man replied. 81 doubt if there has ever
been another like it. fancy youyour-
self will say SO when you hear the evil
dence / have to offer. 1t is not as if
we were destitute. We are prepared to
pay you we'll for your services, but we
must have the very best that England
can supply"
My readers must remember that
this conversation was being carried on
at the corner of Ludgate Hill and the
Old Bailey. Curious glances were be-
ing thrown at my companions bypass
ers-by, and SO vehement were the tall
mans utterances becoming that a
small crowd was gradually collecting
in our neighborhood.
"Very WE'LL" I said, eff you are
really DESTROYS of consulting me. 1 shall
be very glad to see you at my Office at
ten o'clock tomorrow morning. I
must ask you, however, not to be late,
as [ have several other appointments"
"We shall not be late" the man an
swered, you may rely upon that. We
have too much at stake to run any
risks of losing your assistance. We
will be with you tomorrow at ten
O'Clock punctually."
He %thereupon bade me good-by, and,
raising his hat politely, was led along
the street by his companion in an OPP
posite direction to that l was talk
ing. They seemed delighted that I had
given them an appointment, but for
my part l am afraid l was too absorbed
by the memories of the day, and the
punishment that had been allotted to
the two principal members in the
swindle, to think very much of them
and their business. Indeed, although
l made a note of the appointment, it
was not until 1 had arrived at the Of
flee on the following morning that /
recollected their promised visit. / had
just finished my correspondence, and
had directed a few letters to my man
aging clerk, when a junior entered
with two cards, which he placed be-
fore me. The first / took up bore the
name of Septimus Codd, that of the
second, Mr.. George Kitwater. When
l had finished the letter / was in the
act of debating, 1 babe the Clerk ad-
NIT them, and a moment later the
blind man and his companion whom !
had seen on Ludgate Hill the previous
evening were ushered into my pres
nee. I.cannot remember a more ven
cradle appearance than that present
ed by the taller man. His was a person
fality that would have appealed fore
IDLY to any student of humanity. 1t
was decidedly an open ccuntenance.
to which the long white beard that de.
scended almost to his waist gave an
added reverence. His head was well
shaped and we'll set upon his shout,
ders, his height was six feet two il
an inch, and he carried himself with
the erectness of a man accustomed tc