And when he had made a handsome present to the
housekeeper, a suitable one to the shop-boy, and paid his grandfather's
last debts, he was free to depart--a richer man by some five-and-twenty
thousand pounds than when he hurried down to Barford in response to
Eldrick's telegram.
He sat in Eldrick's office one afternoon, winding up his affairs with
him. There were certain things that Eldrick & Pascoe would have to do;
as for himself it was necessary for him to get back to London.
"There's something I want to propose to you," said Eldrick, when they
had finished the immediate business. "You're going to practise, of
course?"
"Of course!" replied Collingwood, with a laugh. "If I get the chance!"
"You'll get the chance," said Eldrick. "What were you going in for?"
"Commercial law--company law--as a special thing," answered Collingwood.
"Why?"
"I'll tell you what it is," continued Eldrick eagerly. "There's a career
for you if you'll take my advice. Leave London--come down here and take
chambers in the town, and go the North-Eastern Circuit. I'll promise
you--for our firm alone--plenty of work. You'll get more--there's lots
of work waiting here for a good, smart young barrister. Ah!--you smile,
but I know what I'm talking about. You don't know Barford men. They
believe in the old adage that one should look at home before going
abroad.
Pages:
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100