“Not necessarily,” said Thorndyke.  “I am going to make a little proposal, which I will ask you to consider without prejudice as a mutual accommodation.  You see, your case is one of exceptional interest—­it will become a textbook case, as Miss Bellingham has prophesied; and, since it lies within my specialty, it will be necessary for me, in any case, to follow it in the closest detail.  Now, it would be much more satisfactory to me to study it from within than from without, to say nothing of the credit which would accrue to me if I should be able to conduct it to a successful issue.  I am therefore going to ask you to put your case in my hands and let me see what can be done with it.  I know this is an unusual course for a professional man to take, but I think it is not improper under the circumstances.”

Mr. Bellingham pondered in silence for a few moments, and then, after a glance at his daughter, began rather hesitatingly:  “It is exceedingly generous of you, Doctor Thorndyke—­”

“Pardon me,” interrupted Thorndyke, “it is not.  My motives, as I have explained, are purely egoistic.”

Mr. Bellingham laughed uneasily and again glanced at his daughter, who, however, pursued her occupation of peeling a pear with calm deliberation and without lifting her eyes.  Getting no help from her, he asked:  “Do you think that there is any possibility whatever of a successful issue?”

“Yes, a remote possibility—­very remote, I fear, as things look at present; but if I thought the case absolutely hopeless I should advise you to stand aside and let events take their course.”

“Supposing the case to come to a favourable termination, would you allow me to settle your fees in the ordinary way?”

“If the choice lay with me,” replied Thorndyke, “I should say ‘yes’ with pleasure.  But it does not.  The attitude of the profession is very definitely unfavourable to ‘speculative’ practice.  You may remember the well-known firm of Dodson and Fogg, who gained thereby much profit, but little credit.  But why discuss contingencies of this kind?  If I bring your case to a successful issue I shall have done very well for myself.  We shall have benefited one another mutually.  Come now, Miss Bellingham, I appeal to you.  We have eaten salt together, to say nothing of pigeon pie and other cates.  Won’t you back me up, and at the same time do a kindness to Doctor Berkeley?”

“Why, is Doctor Berkeley interested in our decision?”

“Certainly he is, as you will appreciate when I tell you that he actually tried to bribe me secretly out of his own pocket.”

“Did you?” she asked, looking at me with an expression that rather alarmed me.

“Well, not exactly,” I replied, mighty hot and uncomfortable, and wishing Thorndyke at the devil with his confidences.  “I merely mentioned that the—­the—­solicitor’s costs, you know, and that sort of thing—­but you needn’t jump on me, Miss Bellingham; Doctor Thorndyke did all that was necessary in that way.”