tallest houses he had ever seen. However, up he went with a stout heart, and, after some five minutes. of a struggle, that reminded him forcibly of climbing the ladders of a Cornish mine, he arrived at a little door at the very top of the house, on which was painted "Mr. John Short, Solicitor." Eustace knocked, and the door was opened by a small boy, so like the small boy he had seen at Mr. James Short's chambers in the Temple, that he started. Afterwards the mystery was explained. Like their masters, the two small boys were brothers.

Mr. John Short was within, and Eustace was ushered into his presence. To all appearances he was consulting a voluminous mass of correspondence written on large sheets of brief paper; but when he looked at it closely, it seemed to Eustace that the edges of the papers were very yellow, and that the ink was much faded. This, however, was not to be wondered at, seeing that Mr. John Short had taken them over with the other fixtures of the office.

66

CHAPTER XVI

SHORT ON LEGAL ETIQUETTE

WELL, Meeson, what is it? Have you come to ask me to lunch?" asked Mr. John Short. "Do you know, I actually thought that you might have been a client."

"Well, by Jove, old fellow, and so I am," answered Eustace. "I have been to your brother, and he has sent me on to you, because he says that it is not the etiquette of the profession to see a client unless a solicitor is present, so he has referred me to you."

66

'Perfectly right; perfectly right of my brother James, Meeson. Considering how small are his opportunities of becoming cognisant with the practice of his profession, it is extraordinary how well he is acquainted with its theory. And now, what is the point?"

'Well, do you know, Short, as the point is rather a long one, and as your brother said that he should expect us at two precisely, I think that we had better take the 'bus back to the Temple, when I can tell the yarn to both of you at once."

"Very well. I do not, as a general rule, like leav

ing my office at this time of day, as it is apt to put clients to inconvenience, especially such of them as come from a distance. But I will make an exception for you, Meeson. William," he went on to the counterpart of the Pump Court infant, "if any one calls to see me, will you be so good as to tell him that I am engaged in an important conference at the chambers of Mr. Short, in Pump Court, but that I hope to be back by half-past three?"

"Yes, sir," said William, as he shut the door behind them; 66 certainly, sir." And then, having replaced the musty documents upon the shelf, whence they could be fetched down without difficulty on the slightest sign of a client, that ingenuous youth, with singular confidence that nobody would be inconvenienced thereby, put a notice on the door to the effect that he would be back immediately, and adjourned to indulge in the passionately exhilarating game of "chuck farthing" with various other small clerks of his acquaintance.

In due course, Eustace and his legal adviser arrived. at Pump Court, and, oh! how the heart of James, the barrister, swelled with pride when, for the first time in his career, he saw a real solicitor enter his chambers accompanied by a real client. He would, indeed, have preferred it if the solicitor had not happened to be his twin-brother, and the client had been some other than

his intimate friend; but still it was a blessed sight-a

very blessed sight!

"Will you be seated, gentlemen?" he said with much dignity.

They obeyed.

"And now, Meeson, I suppose that you have explained to my brother the matter on which you require my advice?"

"No, I haven't," said Eustace; "I thought that I might as well explain it to you both together, eh?”

Hum," said James; "it is not quite regular. According to the etiquette of the profession to which I have the honour to belong, it is not customary that matters should be so dealt with. It is usual that papers should be presented; but that I will overlook, as the point appears to be pressing."

"That's right," said Eustace. "Well, I have come about a will."

"So I understood," said James; "but what will, and where is it?

"Well, it's a will in my favour, and it is tattooed upon a lady's neck."

The twins rose simultaneously from their chairs, and looked at Eustace with such a ridiculous identity of movement and expression that he burst out laughing.

"I presume, Meeson, that this is not a hoax," said James severely. "I presume that you know too well what is due to learned counsel to attempt to make one of their body the victim of a practical joke?"

66

Surely, Meeson," added John, “you have sufficient respect for the dignity of the law not to tamper with it in any such way as my brother has indicated?

"Oh, certainly not. I assure you it is all square. It is a true bill, or rather a true will."

"Proceed," said James, resuming his seat. "This is evidently a case of an unusual nature.”

66

You are right there, old boy," said Eustace. "And now, just listen," and he went on to unfold his moving tale with much point and emphasis.

When he had finished John looked at James rather helplessly. The case was beyond him. But James was equal to the occasion. He had mastered that first great axiom which every young barrister should lay to heart "Never appear to be ignorant.'

"This case," he said, as though he were giving judgment, “is, doubtless, of a remarkable nature, and I cannot at the moment lay my hand upon any authority bearing on the point-if, indeed, any such are to be found. But I speak off-hand, and must not be held too closely to the obiter dictum of a viva voce opinionit seems to me that, notwithstanding its peculiar idio