aiting
for him to return. At 11 o'clock he drove up alone.

"Where is Ging?" I asked as the old man got out of the buggy.

"Gone to the telegraph office. Come in and I'll tell you all about it."

We entered the office and I stood there impatient at his delay, for
instead of telling me, he was silent, walking up and down the room with
his hands under his coat behind him.

"Did you say he had gone to the telegraph office?"

"Yes; said he had to communicate with his partner. Think he must have
been somewhat startled at my knowledge of mica; but if he should spring
the subject on me a week from now he would be still more startled--at my
ignorance. In this instance I have been what is termed a case lawyer."

And still I waited and still he continued to walk up and down the room,
his hands behind him.

"Communicate with his partner. Did he make an offer?"

"Well, he hunted around in that neighborhood, but his gun hung fire. The
truth is I set the price myself. There is no doubt as to the value of
the mine--finest in the world, I should think."

"What did you tell him he could have it for?"

"Well, I suppose we could get more for it, but I told him that he might
have it for six hundred thousand dollars. I--why, what's wrong with that
offer? Isn't it enough?"

"Enough! It is more than I dared to dream!" I cried.

"Ah, hah. And because you don't know anything about mica. It didn't
startle him; simply remarked that he would telegraph to his partner.
He'll take it. He'll give you a check and I'll send it over to
Knoxville, Tenn.--don't want this little bank to handle that amount.
What are you going to do with the money?"

"I'm going to buy the old Morton place for Alf, give the old man as much
as I can compel him to take, and I'm going to build a home on a high
bluff overlooking the St. Jo river, in Michigan. And I don't know yet
what else I may do. It is so overwhelming that my mind is in a tangle.
But I am going to give you----"

"I don't charge you anything for my services," he broke in, humorously
winking his old eyes. "You are to be my law partner, you know."

"Ah, that was reserved for time to bring about, in the event that I
should ever become a lawyer, but that possibility is now removed. I'm
not going to study law. The law is very forcible and very logical, but
it is too dry for me. I don't believe that I am practical enough for a
lawyer. I would rather read poetry and luminous prose than to study
rules