Page:Melville Davisson Post--The Man of Last Resort.djvu/19

 who have been pleased to devote their energies and their capacities to problems of this nature are experts learned and capable, and against these the average man of affairs can defend himself but poorly. He may be warned, however, and the author will have accomplished his purpose if he succeeds in identifying the black flag of such pirate crafts.

In the present volume he has deemed it wise to continue to utilize as his central figure the lawyer, Randolph Mason,—a rather mysterious legal misanthrope, having no sense of moral obligation, but learned in the law, who by virtue of the strange tilt of his mind is pleased to strive with the difficulties of his clients as though they were mere problems involving no matter of right or equity or common justice.

This emotionless counsellor has already been introduced to the public. He has been described as a man in the middle forties. "Tall and reasonably broad across the shoulders; muscular, without being either stout or lean. His hair was thin and of a brown color, with erratic streaks of gray. His forehead was broad and high and of a faint reddish color.