at I have been
associated with you in your office."

"You do me honor; and I shall always hold in grateful remembrance the
distinguished service you rendered us here."

"It is glorious to be appreciated, Mr. Choate. You are appreciated, Mr.
Choate. Folks know you, and look up to you. They believe you are
_some_."

"I am grateful for their and your appreciation. But, really, Mr.
Wittleworth, I must beg you to excuse me, for I have important business
before me," added the lawyer, nervously turning over a bundle of
papers, covered with strange characters, which no mortal man could
read; for they were more inexplicable than Chinese and Syriac to a
Yankee farmer.

"Pardon me for detaining you yet a moment longer," pleaded Fitz,
placing himself in the centre of the room, with his hat under his arm.
"This is a case of wrong and injustice, of oppression and usurpation.
My mother is the rightful heir to a block of stores in this city, which
the greed of avarice withholds from her. Me and father have taken up
the matter. We have been foully wronged;" and Mr. Wittleworth threshed
his arm, and waxed eloquent. "The heel of injustice has been placed
upon our necks. Mr. Choate, you are the people's advocate. Rising
superior to all hopes of fee or reward, you raise your eloquent voice
in behalf of the widow and the orphan. You plead at the bar of justice
for the rights of the down-trodden. Your voice is like a trumpet,
and--"

"So is yours; I beg you will not speak so loud. What do you wish me to
do?" interposed Mr. Choate.

Fitz explained what he wished the great orator to do--to raise his
voice in behalf of the oppressed, meaning his mother and himself; and
he soon became quite stormy again. His single auditor, evidently amused
by this display of rhetoric, permitted him to go on.

"Who has the block of stores now?" asked Mr. Choate, when Fitz began to
be out of breath.

"Mr. Checkynshaw, the banker."

"Ah, indeed! I am very sorry, but I am already retained on the other
side."

"On the other side!" gasped Fitz.

"I am; and really, Mr. Wittleworth, you must excuse me now.

"On the other side!" repeated Fitz. "Can it be that the mighty name of
Choate is to be linked with injustice and oppression? I will not
believe it! I counted something upon your friendship for me, Mr.
Choate."

The great orator was evidently trying to read some of the strange
characters in the manuscript before him, and, regardless of what Fitz
wa