The Spike: or, Victoria University College Review, June 1923

I.—The Junior Partner

I.—The Junior Partner.

I climbed up his winding stair rather tremulously, for though I had met him before in his free unstudied moments of leisure, this was the first time I had visited him since that decisive step in his career which had made him more than a mere drop in the legal ocean of our too legal city. I, of course, was still only a reporter—a reporter on "The Spike," it is true—but still a reporter. Who was I that I should dare to raise my ryes to his distinguished face? The reader will understand my hesitancy. I dragged my nervous feet to the top of his eccentric stairs, and paused irresolutely—which floor? That to the right was obviously the safe, and 1 could not conceive of him spending his days in the safe; through another I could see busy ranks of clerks and typists driving and clicking away with their pens and demoniac machines. Ah! what was this signboard? "Mr.—." It pointed an imperative finger to the left. At the same time I heard a sudden burst of sound, as a hearty voice leapt into song. "Take a pair of sparkling eyes!" it carolled (or, should I say, bellowed? I know then that I was on the right track. Who else could render Gilbert and Sullivan with such rare gusto? Evidently he was engaged on a breach of promise case. I tapped timidly. "Come in!" shouted the hearty familiar voice, and I entered. I got down on my hands and knees and bowed my forehead to the dust. "Good morning!! he replied kindly to my salutation; "take a pew. Now, about this divorce of yours. It will first be necessary to obtain a decree nisi, which in time may be made absolute. I anticipate no difficulty in this—"

"Excuse me," I managed to break in. "I am not married, and therefore you may experience more difficulty than you anticipate. Moreover, you appear to have made a mistake. I am not seeking a divorce, I have come to interview you on behalf of 'The Spike.' "

He rose to his feet, and brought his hand to the salute. "This," he said solemnly, "is the proudest moment of my life."

"Notatall," I replied, inadequately emulating such magnanimity. "Now, will you please tell me something about yourself?

"With pleasure," he said. "But first let me apologise For my error. My list of briefs is unfortunately very large, and my clients tread very rapidly on one another's heels. However, I rarely get mixed," he added, brightly.

" I understand you spent several years at V.U.C. I interrogated.

"That is so. Those were, I think I may say, the happiest days of my life. That is, of course, till recently. I pursued a very successful course of study there, and filled all the official positions open to me with great ability. I was at one period President of the Stud. Ass., and was even asked to join the Christian Union."

I was breathless with admiration. "You accepted?" I cried.

"I did not feel myself worthy. Besides, I had even then decided to become a great lawyer. Can I be a lawyer and a Christian too? I said to myself (I suppose every young man faces the same question at some time in his life). No! Then give up Christianity. I gave it up, and spent my Sundays with the Tramping Club."

I understand that you are a great sportsman as well as a great lawyer?" was my next query.

"Well," he answered modestly. "I have met with my meed of admiration at the Easter Tournaments. I have always been fond of the great out-of-doors; the illimitable open-air, the—the—what shall I say?—the—"

"I quite understand. Can you give me some details?"

Well, at a Sunday-school picnic I once won the egg-and-spoon championship. And then there was the three-mile cross-country race in which I beat the editor of ' The Spike.' Of late years, however, I have taken to golf and mountaineering for relaxation, which I find very necessary alter a long gruelling day at the office. Golf is a very good game: it is played with sticks, called golf-Sticks, and a ball, called a golf-ball. It can very conveniently be played by two persons. But I may say that my greatest successes, outside my legal practice have been in the region of mountaineering. This is a sport which only the most hardened and determined men can take up. And some women, too. I have often bad the pleasure of taking the Tramping Club for a bit of a stroll on Saturday afternoons—thirty miles or so. But they are so confoundedly slow. I will not mention my ascents of Mt. Cook and the Matterhorn, which will doubtless seem child's-play to you, but I do think f put up a good showing on the Wireless in the last vacation. you have no idea of the difficulty of this peak, added to which the weather we experienced was simply diabolical. I broke several ice-axes even on the lower slopes. However, I should undoubtedly have got to the top had it not been for one of my party, who crocked up after the first two days of the ascent, and could go no further. It was a great disappointment to me. However, I hope to get to the summit some day yet."

"Too bad!" I murmured sympathetically. "And who was your companion, may I ask?"

"Sammy Turner," he said; and bowed me out.