“I suppose you thought I must be an ungrateful dog not to jump at the offer you made me this morning,” he remarked in an embarrassed manner.  “It’s worried me a lot all day.  I’m really tremendously gratified at your kindness.  I couldn’t very well explain myself, and I don’t know what possessed me to say what I did about my not being willing to exchange places with you.  But, you see, I’m over forty.  That makes a heap of difference.  I’m as good a stenographer as you can find, and so long as my health holds out I can be sure of at least fifty dollars a week, besides what I earn outside.

“I’ve never had any kink for the law.  I don’t think I’d be a success at it; and frankly, saving your presence, I don’t like it.  A lot of it is easy money and a lot of it is money earned in the meanest way there is—­playing dirty tricks; putting in the wrong a fellow that’s really right; aggravating misunderstandings and profiting by the quarrels people get into.  You’re a high-class, honorable man, and you don’t see the things I see.”  I winced.  If he only knew, I had seen a good deal!  “But I go round among the other law offices, and I tell you it’s a demoralizing profession.

“It’s all right to reorganize a railroad; but in general litigation it seems to me as if the lawyers spend most of their time trying to make the judge and jury believe the witnesses are all criminals.  Everything a man says on the stand or has ever done in his life is made the subject of a false inference—­an innuendo.  The law isn’t constructive—­it’s destructive; and that’s why I want my boy to be a civil engineer.”

He paused, abashed at his own heat.

“Well,” I interjected, “it’s a harsh arraignment; but there’s a great deal of truth in what you say.  Wouldn’t you like to make big money?”

“Big money!  I do make big money—­for a man of my class,” he replied with a gentle smile.  “I wouldn’t know what to do with much more.  I’ve got health and a comfortable home, the affection of an honest woman and two fine children.  I work hard, sleep like a log, and get a couple of sets of tennis or a round of golf on Saturdays and Sundays.  I have the satisfaction of knowing I give you your money’s worth for the salary you pay me.  My kids have as good teachers as there are anywhere.  We see plenty of people and I belong to a club or two.  I bear a good reputation in the town and try to keep things going in the right direction.  We have all the books and magazines we want to read.  What’s more, I don’t worry about trying to be something I’m not.”

“How do you mean?” I asked, feeling that his talk was money in my moral pocket.