ld so willingly accept as yours," he
blundered on, dimly conscious that there had been something of
ungraciousness in his speech; and so stopped dead, overcome with shame
and confusion.

"That is all right, my dear boy," returned Humphreys, smilingly laying
his hand on Dick's shoulder; "I know exactly how you feel, and very
heartily respect your sense of sturdy independence, which is very
estimable in its way, so long as it is not carried too far. But, as a
matter of fact, Dick, none of us is absolutely independent in this
world, for almost every moment of our lives we are dependent upon
somebody for assistance, in one shape or another, and it is not until
that assistance is withheld that we are brought to realise the extent to
which we are individually dependent upon our fellow creatures. But I am
moralising again--a habit which seems to be growing upon me since I came
among these poor folk down here, and have been brought face to face with
such a vast amount of misery that can be directly traced to ignorance
and crime. Just pass me over that stationery cabinet, will you?
Thanks! Now I will write to my friend Graham at once, and you had
better call upon him at his chambers in Lincoln's Inn to-morrow morning
at ten o'clock sharp, which is about the only hour of the day when you
can be reasonably certain of finding him."

When Dick called upon Humphreys' friend Graham, upon the following
morning, and sent in his letter of introduction, he soon had abundant
evidence that the rising young solicitor was quite as busy a man as the
Doctor had represented him to be; yet he was not too busy to respond
promptly to his friend's claim upon him, actually leaving an important-
looking client waiting in his outer office while he interviewed Dick and
listened with the utmost patience to the story which the latter had to
tell, questioning him occasionally, and making notes of his answers upon
a writing pad. At length, after an interview of over half an hour's
duration, Graham closed the pad sharply and, rising, extended his hand
to Dick, saying:

"Thank you, Mr Maitland. I believe I have now all the essential facts;
and you may assure my friend Humphreys that I will take up the case with
the utmost pleasure, and without loss of time; also that I will do my
best for you and your mother. From what you tell me I am inclined to
imagine that the wreck of Cuthbertson's affairs will prove to be pretty
complete, therefore I very stro