After man came woman, and she has been after him
ever since" would be more to the point if "lawyer" were substituted for
"woman."

But the world is full of fools who thirst for revenge in law, or seem
anxious to find some one to dupe them in other ways and always succeed;
so Uncle Terry was more than half right when he said, "Thar's a sucker
born every minit, an' two ter ketch him."

Of all the smooth, elusive vultures lurking in the shadow of the temple
of justice, or perching upon it, Nicholas Frye, or "Old Nick," as many
called him, was the most cunning. Nor did his looks belie the
comparison, for he had deep-set, shifty, yellow-gray eyes, a hooked
nose, and his thin locks, dyed jet black, formed a ring about his bald
poll. He walked with a stoop, as if scanning the ground for evidence or
clues, and to add to his marked individuality, when he talked he rubbed
his hands together as though washing them with invisible soap. It was
not from any sense of cleanliness that he did this, for they had many
times been soiled willingly in the most nefarious transactions. A client
was to him a victim to be kept in waiting; exasperated in regard to his
grievances by all possible means; deluded as to his chances of success
in quest of justice; deceived as to its cost; and robbed in every way
known to an astute lawyer. He had been the legal adviser of John Nason
for many years, and when that busy merchant came to him on behalf of his
son, who wanted to find a position for Albert Page, Frye readily
promised to give him employment. It was not because he needed him, but
because he saw at once that through some friendship for this young sprig
of the law, as he intuitively considered Albert to be, he could
strengthen his hold upon the father and obtain some secrets that might
eventually be used to rob him. In plain words, he thought to use this
young country lawyer as a spy. He knew that John Nason felt a keen
interest in his only son Frank, and that was another reason for
employing that son's friend. He knew also that Frank was given a liberal
allowance, spent it rapidly, and most likely would be getting into
various scrapes needing a lawyer's efforts to rescue him, and so he
would have further pickings in that direction. These were two good
reasons for his ostensible acts of kindness, and so he at once sent for
Page to come.

When, the morning after his arrival in Boston, Albert presented himself
at Frye's office, he found that lawy