Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/168

138 The lawyer who sent that message knew McKinley thoroughly. The rising young advocate had had a night to think about it, and the case was now as clear to him as it probably was to the man he represented. Promptly on the minute he was on hand to continue the argument. In the corridor of the court-house he met the opposing counsel.

"Say, how long are you going to keep US at it to-day?" asked the lawyer.

"Not a minute longer than is necessary," was McKinley' s prompt answer.

Soon the judge arrived, and the case was continued. The opposing counsel expected McKinley to be as long-winded as before, and was taken by surprise when the young lawyer wound up some time before dinner. In that short time he had brought together all the various threads of the case, and he wound them into a conclusion which could not be disputed. Decision was reserved, and everybody left the court-room wondering:: what the outcome would be.

The next day the lawyer from Youngstown came to Canton and rushed into McKinley's office.

"I am glad you went ahead," he said.