"'Do you come from her?' I said, and I caught my breath.
"'I come from Mr. Paul Bargee,' he said, 'and I'd remind you, Mr. Moore, that I come as an attorney on a disagreeable duty.'
"With that I drew back and looked at him in amazement, and said: 'What has he got to say to me?'
"'My client,' he said, turning the words over with the tip of his tongue, 'regrets exceedingly—'
"'Don't waste words!' I said angrily. 'What are you here for?'
"'My client,' he said, looking at me sidelong, 'empowers me to offer you fifteen thousand dollars if you will promise to make no trouble in this matter.'
"I sat down all in a heap; for I didn't know the ways of a gentleman then, Bob, and covered my face with the horror I had of the humiliation he had done me. The lawyer, he misunderstood it, for he crept up softly and whispered in my ear:
"'That's what he offers—if you're fool enough to take it; but if you'll stick to me, we can wring him to the tune of ten times that.'
"I got up and took him and kicked him out of the room, and kicked him down the stairs, for he was a little man, and I wouldn't strike him.
"Then I came back and said to myself: 'If matters are so, I must get the best advice I can.'