"Mr Philliman worked very hard for your client, Mr Swift," said Luke, quietly. "I presume that you bear no malice?" he added, with a smile. "Malice, sir--malice, Mr Ross? Ha, ha, ha! That's very good, sir-- uncommonly good. I'll tell Cripple as soon as I return." "I know you'll excuse me, Mr Swift," said the young barrister, glancing at his watch, "if I tell you that my time is very much occupied." "Of course! To be sure. Yes, my dear sir," said the visitor, busily opening his blue bag. "I know it is. But as it was our first affair with you, I thought I would come on myself instead of sending our clerk. There, sir," he exclaimed, drawing out a folded packet of papers, tied up with tape, "I have come to show you how we bear malice, sir--our first brief." As he spoke he handed the papers to Luke Ross with the triumphant smile of one who is conferring a great favour, and then, throwing himself back in his chair, he looked quite disappointed as the barrister just glanced at the endorsement on the brief, which, among other words, bore certain hieroglyphics in a crabbed hand--"15 _gs_." "I am sorry to have troubled you to come, Mr Swift," said Luke, in a quiet, grave voice, that was very impressive, and, though low, seemed to fill the room, "but I really must decline." "Decline!" exclaimed the solicitor, flushing. "Do you know, Mr Ross, that this may mean an enormous number of briefs from our firm, sir--a very fortune?" Luke bowed. "You are a young man, Mr Ross--excuse me for saying so, sir--just making a name in your profession. Do I understand you aright, sir? Our firm, sir, stands high." "Perfectly aright, Mr Swift," replied Luke, in a voice that quite seemed to silence the solicitor, who refreshed himself with a hastily-taken pinch of snuff, and shut the lid of his box with a loud snap. "I know your firm well, sir; but, as you are aware," he added, with a grave smile, "there are limits to even an enterprising barrister's powers, and the profession has been kind enough to give me more than I care to undertake." "Ah, exactly, sir--of course--yes," said Mr Swift, smiling, and nodding his head. "Exactly so, my dear sir. Will you allow me?" Luke bowed, and before he had quite realised his visitor's intentions, he had caught up a quill pen, and, rapidly dipping it, altered the fifteen on the back of the brief with a couple of touches into twenty-five, blotted it, and handed it to the young barrister, who raised his hand not to take the brief, but to decline. "I am sorry, Mr Swift," he said, "but I have sent back a couple of briefs this morning marked precisely as you have endorsed that. I am obliged to decline. Try Mr Norris, or Mr Henrich, on this staircase. I am sure they will be glad to accept the brief." The solicitor stared in astonishment, took out his snuff-box, put it back again, and then exclaimed sharply-- "But I want _you_, sir, you."