"I can refer you to my other employers, Mr. Kent," Sylvester
volunteered as the young lawyer stood regarding the paper. "If you,
desire further information there is Mr. Clymer and -"

"No, Judge Hildebrand'S recommendation is sufficient." And at Kent's
smile the clerk's anxious expression vanished. "Did Mr. Rochester
give you any outline of the work?"

"Yes, sir; he told me to file the papers in the Hitchcock case, and
attend to the morning correspondence."

"Very good. Has any one called this morning?"

"No, sir. These letters were addressed to you personally, and I
have not opened them," Sylvester handed a neatly arranged package
to Kent. "These," indicating several letters lying open on his desk,
"are to the firm."

"Bring them to me in half an hour," and Kent walked into his private
office, carefully closing the door behind him. Opening his suit-case
he took out his brief bag and laid it on the desk in front of him
together with the package of letters. Instead of opening the letters
immediately, he tilted back in his chair and regarded the opposite
wall in deep thought. Philip Rochester could not have selected a
worse time to absent himself; three important cases were on the
calendar for immediate trial and much depended on the firm's
successful handling of them. Kent swore softly under his breath;
his last warning to Rochester, that he would dissolve their
partnership if the older man continued to neglect his practice, had
been given only a month before and upon Kent's return from eight