other side of the
desk.

"Sit down. To-day's as good as to-morrow," he remarked, with sententious
significance, characteristically throwing the burden of explanation on
the visitor.

Austen found the opening unexpectedly difficult. He felt that this was a
crisis in their relations, and that it had come at an unfortunate hour.

"Judge," he said, trying to control the feeling that threatened to creep
into his voice, "we have jogged along for some years pretty peaceably,
and I hope you won't misunderstand what I'm going to say."

The Honourable Hilary grunted.

"It was at your request that I went into the law. I have learned to like
that profession. I have stuck to it as well as my wandering, Bohemian
nature will permit, and while I do not expect you necessarily to feel any
pride in such progress as I have made, I have hoped--that you might feel
an interest."

The Honourable Hilary grunted again.

"I suppose I am by nature a free-lance," Austen continued. "You were good
enough to acknowledge the force of my argument when I told you it would
be best for me to strike out for myself. And I suppose it was inevitable,
such being the case, and you the chief counsel for the Northeastern
Railroads, that I should at some time or another be called upon to bring
suits against your client. It would have been better, perhaps, if I had
not started to practise in this State. I did so from what I believe was a
desire common to both of us to--to live together."

The Honourable Hilary reached for his Honey Dew, but he did not speak.

"To live together," Austen repeated. "I want to say that, if I had gone
away, I believe I should always have regretted the fact." He paused, and
took from his pocket a slip of paper. "I made up my mind from the start
that I would always be frank with you. In spite of my desire to amass
riches, there are some suits against the Northeastern which I have
--somewhat quixotically--refused. Here is a section of the act which
permitted the consolidation of the Northeastern Railroads. You are no
doubt aware of its existence."

The Honourable Hilary took the slip of paper in his hand and stared at
it. "The rates for fares and freights existing at the time of the passage
of this act shall mot be increased on the roads leased or united under
it." What his sensations were when he read it no man might have read in
his face, but his hand trembled a little, and along silence ensued before
he gave it back to his s