And a word that fell from your father at Northallerton the other day--I think I understand." "Both went in for professions," Otway pursued, "and I suppose he wasn't very well satisfied with the results.

However, after I had been two years in the office, I felt I couldn't stand it, and I began privately to read law.

Then one day I wrote to my father, and asked whether he would allow me to be articled to a solicitor.

He replied that he would, if, at the age of twenty, I had gone steadily on with the distasteful office work, and had continued to read law in my leisure.

Well, I accepted this, of course, and in a year's time found how right he had been; already I had got sick of the law books, and didn't care for the idea of being articled.