"Nonsense, Sam! you are too modest. As they say in churches, the newest
convert has the strongest opinions. Now, you know what my business is.
Strong opinions amount to everything in the legal business, and so I
have come to you, just as squarely as I could go to any man in the
world about anything else that he understood, to ask you plainly what
you know about this new life that you are said to be leading now. Tell
it to me, out and out. Don't be afraid to keep back anything. Take all
the time you like at it. If you can't say just what you want to, try to
put it as clearly as you can. I didn't come in to worry you. Remember
that I really want some distinct information on the subject."

Sam looked up keenly, and said, "Mr. Bartram, are you in earnest?"

"Sam Kimper," said the young lawyer, "if I were not in earnest do you
suppose I'd come into this shop during the business hours of the day
and ask questions of this kind, when there are plenty of other people I
could go to and get the information I want, and perhaps a good deal
more? No, sir; I have come here to ask you because I thought that
whatever you could say you would say in the fewest possible words and
say it right to the point."

"But, Mr. Bartram, I'm not used to talkin' to lawyers. I never talked
to any but once, you know, an' then I don't think they had very much
respect for what I said. I wasn't in a fix where anybody could have any
respect for me."

"This hasn't anything to do with those times, Sam," said the lawyer. "A
friend of yours, who is a friend of mine, has told me that you talked
very straightforward and honestly on this subject a few nights ago.
That's more than I have been able to find anybody do in this town in a