one of the Orgreaves have said anything this
last day or two?" He leaned forward. They were in opposite corners.

"No," she repeated stiffly. Nevertheless, she remembered a peculiar
glance of Tom's to his father on the previous day, when George Cannon's
name had been mentioned.

"Well," said he. "You surprise me! That's all!"

"But--" She stopped, full of misgivings.

"Never heard any gossip about me--never?" he persisted, as it were,
menacing her.

She shook her head.

"Never heard that I'm not really a solicitor?"

"Oh! well--I think mother once did say something--"

"I thought so."

"But I don't understand those things," she said simply. "Is anything the
matter? Is--"

"Nothing!" he replied, calm and convincing. "Only I've been done! Done!
You'll hear about it some day, I dare say.... Shall I tell you? Would
you like me to tell you?" He smiled rather boyishly and leaned back.

"Yes," she nodded.

His attitude was very familiar, recalling their former relation of
employer and employed. It seemed as natural to her as to him that he
should not too ceremoniously conceal his feelings or disguise his mood.

"Well, you see, I expect I know as much about law as any of 'em, but
I've never been admitted, and so--" He stopped, perceiving that she did
not comprehend the significance of such a word as 'admitted.' "If you
want to practise as a solicitor you have to pass examinations, and I
never have passed examinations. Very expensive, all that! And I couldn't
afford when I was young. It isn't the exams that are difficult--you may
tell that from the fellows that pass them. Lawton, for instance. But
after a certain age exams become a nuisance. However, I could do
everything else. I might have had half a dozen situations as managing
clerk in the Five Towns if I'd wanted. Only I didn't want! I wanted to
be on my own. I could get clients as quick as any of them. _And_
quicker! So I found Karkeek--the excellent Mr. Karkeek! Another of the
bright ones that could pass the exams! Oh! He'd passed the exams all
right! He'd spent five years and I don't know how many hundred pounds in
passing the exams, and with it all he couldn't get above a couple of
pounds a week. There are hundreds of real solicitors up and down the
country who aren't earning more. And they aren't worth more. But I gave
him more, and a lot more. Just to use his name on my door and my blinds.
See? In theory I was his clerk, but in reality he was mine. It w