of the Sermon on the Mount could and should be practised in
everyday life. Consequently he never made much money, and was terribly
disappointed when his only son adopted the law as a profession.
Some--not all, but some--of his qualities are in my blood; and the
voice of conscience is always telling me that the father was a better
man than the son, and that, unless I am careful, I shall sell my life
for power and possessions; and I have made up my mind to be careful.

"Well, I have made inquiries--carefully and without hurry--and I now
know for a fact that Mainwaring had every right to that money, and that
Lessingham is a fraud, so that my course is clear. I have seen
Lessingham, and he laughs in my face. 'You knew it at the time, old
man!' he said; 'and a jolly good thing you've made out of it.' There
was no chance of putting things right from that quarter."

"But, Mr. Derwent," I interrupted, "surely in your profession this is
an everyday occurrence. Both sides cannot be right, and both need
legal assistance."

"True," he replied, "and you must quite understand my attitude. I am
not judging any of my brethren: to their own master they stand or fall.
But for myself, I am not going to support any case, in the future,
which I am not convinced is a just one. If, after accepting a brief, I
have reason to believe that I am espousing an unjust cause I will throw
it up at whatever sacrifice."

"I am afraid it will mean _great_ sacrifice," I murmured.

"Would you recommend me not to do it?" he asked.

"You must obey your Inner Self, or suffer torment," I replied.

"I must, and I will," he said firmly. "Now listen to me. My father
was not, as I have said, a wealthy man, and on his death I inherited
little beyond good principles and good books. The waiting period for
financial success was long, but latterly I have made money. I have
L7,000 in the bank, and a good income. And my judgment agrees with
yours: I must part with my marbles."

"Oh, Mr. Derwent," I exclaimed; "think well before you take so serious
a step! What is my hasty decision worth? It was given on the spur of
the moment: it was the immature judgment of an inexperienced woman!"

"It was the spontaneous expression of pure, instinctive truth," he
replied. "Yet do not feel any sense of responsibility. I had already
reached the same conclusion: you merely confirmed it, and in doing so
helped and strengthened me--though the decision set back a ho