wnstairs, whistling, before I can think of a suitable
rejoinder.

Open the papers. The same brief returned with request to "draw up a
Statement of Claim,"--and my "Opinion" inside! It looks as if DICK sent
these clients of his _my_ valuable advice, pretending that it was his own!

My learned "leader," when he comes in, treats affair very coolly.

"Oh, did I send _your_ 'Opinion' to them as well as mine? What an ass I am!
I wonder what they thought of it?"

I also wonder. In looking over the returned brief just now, however, I
certainly did not come across the "Opinion," manufactured by FIBBINS
himself, of which that learned Counsel spoke. And I have no second chance
of examining it, as he is careful to take "all the documents in the case"
(a phrase of the Impressive Clerk's) home with him, for what he calls
re-perusal.

The conviction that it _was_ my Opinion, and mine alone, which FIBBINS
dispatched, probably out of sheer laziness, to ROGERS & CO., Solicitors,
Chancery Lane, is one that I still retain. But it is FIBBINS who retains
the fee!

* * * * *

AT THE CLOSE OF THE SUMMER.

(_By one who idled. To his Lady-help._)

I am back at my work, which is far from exciting
After nothing to do for a month at a time,
So I am not astonished to find myself writing
To you, dear MELENDA, and writing in rhyme.
In my rooms very often the scent of the heather
Brings back with it sweet recollections, and so
I think of the days when we idled together,
Far away in the country a fortnight ago.

Yes, the two afternoons when, although we were sorry
That it rained, we went out as to do we had vowed,
And the wonderful echo we found in a quarry
That took what we whispered and said it aloud.
Whilst we wandered through fern-laden hedges and talked, it
So happened a dragon-fly flew by your side.
You remember, I'm sure, how you laughed as I stalked it,
And how it seemed hurt, as it finally died.

Then I think of our pic-nic. The sunshine came glinting,
And we thought that the summer had come--come to stay.
We did not walk too fast, you were constantly hinting
You were really afraid we were losing our way.
I seemed to be catching two glimpses of heaven,
As I gazed at the sky and kept looking at you;
For the party that started by being just seven
Had a curious habit of shrinking to two.

Why, that's quite sentimental. It is