or the present. You will, of
course, let me have the instructions and other papers with all possible
speed. I suppose that other counsel besides myself will be ultimately
retained?"

"Oh! that reminds me," said Eustace; "about money, you know. I don't
quite see how I am going to pay for all this game. I have got about fifty
pounds spare cash in the world, and that's all: and I know enough to be
aware that fifty pounds do not go far in a lawsuit."

Blankly James looked at John and John at James. This was very trying.

"Fifty pounds will go a good way in out-of-pocket fees," suggested James,
at length, rubbing his bald head with his handkerchief.

"Possibly," answered John, pettishly; "but how about the remuneration of
the plaintiff's legal advisers? Can't you"--addressing Eustace--"manage
to get the money from someone?"

"Well," said Eustace, "there's Lady Holmhurst. Perhaps if I offered to
share the spoil with her, if there was any."

"Dear me, no," said John; "that would be 'maintenance.'"

"Certainly not," chimed in James, holding up his hand in dismay. "Most
clearly it would be 'Champerty'; and did it come to the knowledge of the
Court, nobody can say what might not happen."

"Indeed," answered Eustace, with a sigh, "I don't quite know what you
mean, but I seem to have said something very wrong. The odds on a
handicap are child's play to understand beside this law," he added sadly.

"It is obvious, James," said John, that, "putting aside other matters,
this would prove, independent of pecuniary reward, a most interesting
case for you to conduct."

"That is so, John," replied James; "but as you must be well aware, the
etiquette of my profession will not allow me to conduct a case for
nothing. Upon that point, above all others, etiquette rules us with a
rod of iron. The stomach of the bar, collective and individual, is
revolted and scandalised at the idea of one of its members doing
anything for nothing."

"Yes," put in Eustace, "I have always understood they were
regular nailers."

"Quite so, my dear James; quite so," said John, with a sweet smile. "A
fee must be marked upon the brief of learned counsel, and that fee be
paid to him, together with many other smaller fees; for learned counsel
is like the cigarette-boxes and new-fashioned weighing-machines at the
stations: he does not work unless you drop something down him. But there
is nothing to prevent learned counsel from returning that fee, and all
t