in the general
practice of the law, but Hertzog was the only lawyer in the partnership.
The others were merely members of the Bar.

Mr. Constable's aptitudes lay in the line of drumming up business. He
was known, although he did not know it, as the "barker" for the firm. He
belonged to eight clubs; he was identified with fourteen charities,
among which he counted three chairmanships; he was in the vestry of a
prosperous church and on the Visiting Board of two hospitals; sixteen
corporations published his name as a director, and the same sixteen
acknowledged his firm as Counsel. Mr. Constable was in the public eye.

Mr. Glenning was not in the public eye, but he had its ear, provided
public was spelled with a capital P and the right political party was in
power. Mr. Glenning had been a member of the firm for twenty years,
which proved that the right political party generally was in power. What
his functions were no one seemed to know, but unquestionably he was a
very busy man. A very serious, earnest believer too in his profession
was Mr. Glenning, and impatient of the silly slights and slurs ever
ready on the tongues of the outsiders. Thus when an alleged wit said
something about "more cases being decided at the trench than at the
Bench," Mr. Glenning, who dined more with the Judges and knew them
better than any other man in town, snubbed the speaker and disposed of
his remark as "a sneer of the unsuccessful."

Everybody understood Hertzog's work. It used to be said that his two
best clients were Constable and Glenning, but then people are always
saying bitter things for want of better.

Mr. Constable was a florid-faced, white-whiskered, well-dressed
little man, bright, quick and full of energy. There were those who
considered him pompous, and it is true he regarded himself very
seriously. But most people took him at his own estimate. In the
outer office his manner was sharp, short and decisive; in the inner
office he was silent, impressive and indecisive. That is to say he
listened thoughtfully, earnestly, sympathetically, intelligently,
comprehendingly--in any and every way that inspires confidence, but no
one ever lured him into expressing an off-hand opinion. His decisions
were always "decisions reserved."--"Reserved for Hertzog," muttered
"the unsuccessful."--But luckily Mr. Constable never heard them, for,
like Mr. Glenning, he was intolerant of flippancy in every form. He
was also intolerant of details.

If