Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/171

Rh "Oh!" Mr. Blank paused for a moment, then held out his hand to McKinley. "I am very much obliged to you," he said. "I owe you one for that."

"You are welcome, I am sure," was the quiet answer.

When the case came up, the opposing lawyer was afraid McKinley had read the documents, but soon the drift of affairs showed that the young lawyer had not done so, and his admiration of the honest young advocate increased. McKinley lost the case, and immediately put in a notice of appeal.

"He might have won if he had read those documents," said the other lawyer to a close friend. "Well, wait till the case is reopened," was the answer. The lawyer did wait, and on the appeal McKinley won. But even with this, the two after that were warm friends, for the other lawyer knew that, though McKinley might be sharp in his practice, he was thoroughly honest and above board.

In those days in the middle west, nearly every lawyer took a strong interest in