early, so as to
catch him before he went out, proceeded Mr. Carlyle. A high respect for
Mr. Carlyle had Lawyer Ball, as he had had for his father before him.
Many a good turn had the Carlyles done him, if only helping him and his
partner to clients whom they were too fastidious to take up. But the
two, Mr. Carlyle and Lawyer Ball did not rank alike, though their
profession was the same; Lawyer Ball knew that they did not, and was
content to feel humble. The one was a received gentleman; the other was
a country attorney.

Lawyer Ball was at breakfast when Mr. Carlyle was shown in.

"Halloo, Carlyle! You are here betimes."

"Sit still; don't disturb yourself. Don't ring; I have breakfasted."

"The most delicious _pate de foie_," urged Lawyer Ball, who was a
regular gourmand. "I get 'em direct from Strasbourg."

Mr. Carlyle resisted the offered dainty with a smile. "I have come on
business," said he, "not to feast. Before I enter upon it, you will give
me your word, Ball, that my communication shall be held sacred, in the
event of your not consenting to pursue it further."

"Certainly I will. What business is it? Some that offends the delicacy
of the Carlyle office?" he added, with a laugh. "A would-be client whom
you turn over to me in your exclusiveness?"

"It is a client for whom I cannot act. But not from the motives you
assume. It concerns that affair of Hallijohn's," Mr. Carlyle continued,
bending forward, and somewhat dropping his voice. "The murder."

Lawyer Ball, who had just taken in a delicious _bonne bouche_ of the
_foie gras_, bolted it whole in his surprise. "Why, that was enacted
ages and ages ago; it is past and done with," he exclaimed.

"Not done with," said Mr. Carlyle. "Circumstances have come to light
which tend to indicate that Richard Hare was innocent--that it was
another who committed the murder."

"In conjunction with him?" interrupted the attorney.

"No: alone. Richard Hare had nothing whatever to do with it. He was not
even present at the time."

"Do you believe that?" asked Lawyer Ball.

"I have believed it for years."

"Then who did do it?"

"Richard accuses one of the name of Thorn. Many years back--ten at
least--I had a meeting with Richard Hare, and he disclosed certain facts
to me, which if correct, could not fail to prove that he was not guilty.
Since that period this impression has been gradually confirmed by little
and by little, trifle upon trifle and I would now sta