The very day upon which the Winters woman called on Ouida, in her unsuccessful attempt to secure an interview, Paul Strogoff, the model, paid a visit to the office of Edward Salmon, the shrewd and wily lawyer.
The young Russian gazed with awe on the great array of books and files, and wondered what could possibly have been the reason why any lawyer should have requested his presence.
After a while he was ushered into the presence of Mr. Salmon, and stood rather fearingly waiting for what was coming. He was rather like a dog at bay. He had had such an amount of silent agony throughout his life, that he was in that passive frame of subjected mind, that he was ready for and could bear almost anything.
“Take a seat, sir,” said Mr. Salmon.
Paul dropped into the first chair, and still spoke not.
“I am a lawyer, sir,” said Mr. Salmon.
“So I saw by your letter head; but how does that concern me? I have no lawsuits.”
“That may be true, but strange things come to us at times.”
“True,” said Paul, growing somewhat restless, “why have you sent for me?”