"
"Or at ditch-digging," added the young man. "No; my profession is
to get people into hot water and then make them pay roundly to get
out. I'm a lawyer. Times have changed in cities. It's there you'll
find young men with muscle, if anywhere. Put your hand here, sir,
and you'll know whether Miss Banning made a bad bargain in hiring
me for the day."
"Why!" exclaimed the astonished farmer, "you have the muscle of a
blacksmith."
"Yes, sir; I could learn that trade in about a month."
"You don't grow muscle like that in a law-office?"
"No, indeed; nothing but bills grow there. A good fashion, if not
abused, has come in vogue, and young men develop their bodies as
well as brains. I belong to an athletic club in town, and could
take to pugilism should everything else fail."
"Is there any prospect of your coming to that?" Sue asked
mischievously.
"If we were out walking, and two or three rough fellows gave you
impudence--" He nodded significantly.
"What could you do against two or three? They'd close on you."
"A fellow taught to use his hands doesn't let men close on him.
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