terms of peace.
It's a sacred duty we owe our profession, Mr. Ricaby, a duty that exalts
our profession over all other callings. The ministry may make peace for
man in Heaven, but we are peacemakers here on earth."

"Quite true--quite true," chirped Jimmy from the far corner of the room.

Mr. Ricaby shrugged his shoulders.

"No wonder they call you the silver-lipped orator," he muttered
contemptuously.

There was a knock at the door, and Mr. Ricaby went forward to see who it
was. Speaking to someone in the hall outside, he said:

"My clerk? Oh, yes, ask him to come up. No--I'll go down." Turning to
the others, he asked:

"Will you excuse me for a moment?"

"Certainly," said Mr. Cooley, "and, while I think of it, do your best to
persuade Miss Paula that we are really acting for her best interests.
She is alone in the world. Her uncle will take her into his own family,
welcome her as his own child."

Mr. Ricaby, with an impatient shrug of his shoulders, went out without
waiting to listen to any more. Mr. Cooley, who had not noticed the
attorney's departure, went on:

"Can't you see the picture, Ricaby? Uncle--niece--bosom of family--happy
home--cousins--smiling faces--all radiant with newly found happiness?"

Suddenly he noticed that Ricaby was no longer there. Turning to Jimmy,
he exclaimed, in a changed tone of voice:

"You know that fellow is the damndest bore I was ever up against! His
arguments to the judge were puerile--positively puerile! That one about
the ethical aspect was a bird. You know it's all I can do to keep my
temper with that brand of practitioner."

Jimmy nodded approval.

"You've been remarkably patient--remarkably," he said.

Mr. Cooley's face broke into a self-satisfied smile.

"Those fellows theorize and theorize by the yard. I've sat on the bench
and listened to their cackle till I got so hot under the collar I'd like
to jump down and bang 'em over the head with their own law books. They
quote authorities by the stack and hand you all the old-time stuff from
old Roman and British digest down to last year's decision. Those fellows
forget that Henry Clay and Daniel Webster oratory is out of date.
Marsh--while I think of it--don't make too much show of affection to the
girl--not too much 'Uncle' business at the start, she may not take to it
kindly."

"Of course, of course," said Jimmy impatiently. "I'm not exactly a
fool."

"Not exactly--no--but sometimes perilously near," retor