“I felt my cause safe in his hands—­that is, as safe as human care and foresight could make it.  But to my surprise and disappointment, his management of the case on the day of trial was faulty and blind.  I had gone over all the points with him carefully, and he had seemed to hold them with a masterly hand.  He was entirely confident of success, and so was I. But now he seemed to lose his grasp on the best points in the case, and to bring forward his evidence in a way that, in my view, damaged instead of making our side strong.  Still, I forced myself to think that he knew best what to do, and that the meaning of his peculiar tactics should soon become apparent.  I noticed, as the trial went on, a bearing of the opposing counsel toward Mr. B——­that appeared unusual.  He seemed bent on annoying him with little side issues and captious objections, not so much showing a disposition to meet him squarely, upon the simple and clearly defined elements of the case, as to draw him away from them and keep them as far out of sight as possible.

“In this he was successful.  Mr. B——­seemed in his hands more like a bewildered child than a strong, clear-seeing man.  When, after all the evidence was in, the arguments on both sides were submitted to the jury, I saw with alarm that Mr. B——­had failed signally.  His summing up was weak and disjointed, and he did not urge with force and clearness the vital points in the case on which all our hopes depended.  The contrast of his closing argument with that of the other side was very great, and I knew when the jury retired from the court-room that all was lost, and so it proved.

“It was clear to me that I had mistaken my man—­that Mr. B——­’s reputation was higher than his ability.  He was greatly chagrined at the result, and urged me to take an appeal, saying he was confident we could get a reversal of the decision.

“While yet undecided as to whether I would appeal or not, a friend who had been almost as much surprised and disappointed at the result of the trial as I was came to me in considerable excitement of manner, and said: 

“’I heard something this morning that will surprise you, I think, as much as it has surprised me.  Has it never occurred to you that there was something strange about Mr. B——­on the day your case was tried?’

“‘Yes,’ I replied, ’it has often occurred to me; and the more I think about it, the more dissatisfied am with his management of my case.  He is urging me to appeal; but should I do so, I have pretty well made up my mind to have other counsel.’

“‘That I should advise by all means,’ returned my friend.

“‘The thought has come once or twice,’ said I, ’that there might have been false play in the case.’

“‘There has been,’ returned my friend.

“What!’ I exclaimed.  ’False play?  No, no, I will not believe so base a thing of Mr. B——.’

“‘I do not mean false play on his part,’ replied my friend.  ’Far be it from me to suggest a thought against his integrity of character.  No, no!  I believe him to be a man of honor.  The false play, if there has been any, has been against him.’