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252 I sat down beside him and mopped away the perspiration. I had need of all my breath for a moment, but at last I managed to blurt out a question.

“What’s it all about?”

“Well,” began Godfrey, putting on his hat again and looking at me with a quizzical smile, “in the first place, the eminent and widely known firm of Graham & Royce has been engaged to defend one John Tolbert Drysdale, now under arrest charged with murder and robbery. You are on your way to Babylon, Long Island, to look over the ground, have a talk with your client, and get the case ready.”

“So!” I nodded; “yes, I read of the case in last night’s papers. But Mr. Drysdale has never, I think, been a client of ours; how did he happen to choose us?”

“He didn’t; I chose you. I wanted him to have the best in the market.”

“Thanks,” I said, colouring a little. “But how did the office come to take the case? We’re always rather shy of criminal cases, you know.”

“Yes, I know you are. But I chinned your junior a bit.”

“That explains it!” I said, laughing. “Of course we’ll do our best for him.”

“You’ll acquit him,” said Godfrey, with conviction. “I was at Boston yesterday, or I’d have gone down to Babylon at once and taken you with me.”

“Then I shouldn’t have got to say goodbye to Cecily.”

“To whom?”