“That sounds like queer talk for a man who depends on the law for his livelihood.”
Horace Coke laughed heartily at this retort, and said:
“It does sound queer, doesn’t it? But I don’t talk that way to everybody. Of course, if people will get into trouble and will invoke the law, I might as well take their money and attend to their business as the next one; but I satisfy my conscience by advising all of my friends to keep out of the law, because as I said before, it’s a mighty bad business.”
Then the good-natured counsellor dropped into his chair and indulged in another hearty laugh. It was one of the oddities of his nature that he should be continually berating the profession of which he was such an ornament and for which he really had a deep reverence.
“But not to get off the subject,” added Mr. Harkins, “I would like to inform you that I have come here to pay off that note to John Black. Under ordinary circumstances I would go to the bank to transact this business; but as long as Mr. Black has found it necessary to employ a lawyer to secure his money, I felt that it was proper to come here and pay you.”
The lawyer looked at David Harkins searchingly through his eye-glasses. He was silent for a moment, and then said in a low voice, in marked contrast with his jolly manner of a few minutes before:
“See here, Dave, can you spare this money? I don’t believe you can, and I hate to see a man pressed. If you say the word, I’ll go over to old Black and try to get an extension on the note.”
“Not at all,” was the cheerful rejoinder. “I do not desire an extension; I want to pay it and get it off my mind forever.”
Mr. Coke walked over to Harkins and taking him by the hand, exclaimed in his cheery voice:
“Congratulations, old man! I am glad to hear you talk in that way, and I am mighty glad to know that you were able to raise the money in such a short time. It will not only be a good thing to pay off the note, but it will be the means of establishing your credit in Cleverly. There’s nothing like a reputation for a man, and if you can get a good one it is liable to stick to you just as well as a bad one.”