"Whitredge, who has retained you this time?" I asked.
"I don't know what you mean by that, Bert."
"I mean that four years and a half ago there were pretty strong reasons
for suspecting that you were Abel Geddis's attorney, rather than mine."
"Oh, pshaw!" he returned with large lenience. "Geddis wanted to be
fair with you--he thought a good bit of you in those days, Bert, little
as you may believe it--and he did offer to pay my fee, if you couldn't.
But that has nothing to do with the present aspect of the case. I was
your attorney then, and I'm your attorney now. It's a point of
professional honor, and I couldn't think of holding aloof when you're
needing me. Besides, your Colorado lawyers have been in communication
with me--naturally, since I was attorney for the defense four years and
a half ago."
"They sent you to me here?" I inquired.
"They knew I would come, of course; I was on the ground and had all the
facts. They couldn't come themselves, either of them. They have had
their hands full with the injunction business."
"The injunction business?"
"Yes; haven't you heard?"