worthy of your
consideration."

"But why have you not come to me before?" I inquired. "You have seen me
in Court every day. Why do you wait until the case is at an end?"

"Because we wanted to be quite sure of you," he answered. "Our case is
so large and of such vital importance to us, that we did not desire to
run any risk of losing you. We thought we would wait and familiarize
ourselves with all that you have done in this affair before coming to
you. Now we are satisfied that we could not place our case in better
hands, and what we are anxious to do is to induce you to interest
yourself in it and take it up."

"You pay me a very high compliment," I said, "but I cannot give you a
decision at once. I must hear what it is that you want me to do and have
time to think it over, before I can answer you. That is my invariable
rule, and I never depart from it. Do you know my office?"

"We know it perfectly," returned the blind man. "It would be strange if
we did not, seeing that we have stood outside it repeatedly, trying to
summon up courage to enter. Would it be possible for you to grant us an
interview to-night?"

"I fear not," I said. "I am tired, and stand in need of rest. If you
care to come to-morrow morning, I shall be very pleased to see you. But
you must bear in mind the fact that my time is valuable, and that it is
only a certain class of case that I care to take up personally."

"We are not afraid of our case," the man replied. "I doubt if there has
ever been another like it. I fancy you yourself will say so when you
hear the evidence I have to offer. It is not as if we are destitute. We
are prepared to pay you well for your services, but we must have the
very best that England can supply."

My readers must remember that this conversation was being carried on at
the corner of Ludgate Hill and the Old Bailey. Curious glances were
being thrown at my companions by passers-by, and so vehement were the
taller man's utterances becoming, that a small crowd was gradually
collecting in our neighbourhood.

"Very well," I said, "if you are really desirous of consulting me, I
shall be very glad to see you at my office at ten o'clock to-morrow
morning. I must ask you, however, not to be late, as I have several
other appointments."

"We shall not be late," the man answered, "you may rely upon that. We
have too much at stake to run any risks of losing your assistance. We
will be with you to-morrow morning at ten o'cl