“Law, eh?—I have it! Denman's your man! I shall give you a letter to Mr. Denman—a lawyer friend of mine. I shall see him personally to-day, and if you call to-morrow at ten I hope to have news for you. Meantime, I shall be pleased to have you lunch with me to-day at the club. One o'clock is the hour. If you would kindly call at the bank, we shall go down together.”
Cameron expressed his gratitude.
“By the way!” said Mr. Ritchie, “where have you put up?”
“At the Royal,” said Cameron.
“Ah! That will do for the present,” said Mr. Ritchie. “I am sorry our circumstances do not permit of my inviting you to our home. The truth is, Mrs. Ritchie is at present out of the city. But we shall find some suitable lodging for you. The Royal is far too expensive a place for a young man with his fortune to make.”
Cameron spent the day making the acquaintance of the beautiful, quaint, if somewhat squalid, old city of Montreal; and next morning, with a letter of introduction from Mr. Ritchie, presented himself at Mr. Denman's office. Mr. Denman was a man in young middle life, athletic of frame, keen of eye, and energetic of manner; his voice was loud and sharp. He welcomed Cameron with brisk heartiness, and immediately proceeded to business.
“Let me see,” he began, “what is your idea? What kind of a job are you after?”
“Indeed,” replied Cameron, “that is just what I hardly know.”
“Well, what has been your experience? You are a University man, I believe? But have you had any practical training? Do you know office work?”
“No, I've had little training for an office. I was in a law office for part of a year.”