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What is still better, he can tell stories which never get into the papers at all, the stories of cases so thrilling that the people concerned settle them out of court. It will easily be understood that Mr. Dane-Latimer is an interesting man to meet and that a good many people welcome the chance of a talk with him.
"I'm afraid the judge won't take that view," said Dane-Latimer, smiling. "He ought to call it justifiable self-defence. He will too if he's ever had one of those drills in his own mouth." "As a lawyer," said Dane-Latimer, "I'd like to see this action fought out. I don't remember a case quite like it, and it would be exceedingly interesting to see what view the Court would take.
And there are some whose reputation stands higher in legal circles. But there is probably no solicitor whose name is better known all over the British Isles than Mr. Dane-Latimer's. He has been fortunate enough to become a kind of specialist in "Society" cases. No divorce suit can be regarded as really fashionable unless Mr. Dane-Latimer is acting in it for plaintiff, defendant, or co-respondent.
A politician who has been libelled goes to Mr. Dane-Latimer for advice. An actress with a hopeful breach of promise case takes the incriminating letters to Mr. Dane-Latimer. He knows the facts of nearly every exciting scandal. He can fill in the gaps which the newspapers necessarily leave even in stories which spread themselves over columns of print.
"It's not shop-lifting. In fact it isn't anything that would be called really disgraceful." "That surprises me. I should hardly have thought Madame could have avoided but go on. "You know Scarsby?" said Dane-Latimer. "I know a Mrs. Scarsby, a woman who advertises herself and her parties and pushes hard to get into the smartest set. She's invited me to one of her shows next week.
"He might just as well take an action against me for a million. Madame hasn't got a thousand pence in the world." "So I thought," said Dane-Latimer, "and so I told him. As a matter of fact I happen to know that Madame is pretty heavily in debt." "Besides," said Gorman. "He richly deserved what he got.
People I mean the sort of people whose affairs you manage can't be going it in quite the old way, at all events not to the same extent." Dane-Latimer poured half his brandy into his coffee cup and smiled. Gorman, who felt it necessary to keep the conversation going, wandered on. "But perhaps they are.
Gorman drew a heavy square envelope from his breast pocket and handed it to Dane-Latimer. "That's for you," he said, "and if you really want to understand how the case was settled you'd better accept the invitation and come with me." Dane-Latimore opened the envelope and drew out a large white card with gilt edges and nicely rounded corners. "10 Beaulieu Gardens, S.W." he read. "Mrs.
Gorman, who has a cultivated taste for gossip, was greatly pleased when Dane-Latimer sat down beside him one day in the smoking-room of his club. It was two o'clock, an hour at which the smoking-room is full of men who have lunched. Gorman knew that Dane-Latimer would not talk in an interesting way before a large audience, but he hoped to be able to keep him until most of the other men had left.
After all, these war marriages must lead to a good many divorces, though we don't read about them as much as we used to. But I dare say they go on just the same and you have plenty to do." Dane-Latimer grinned. He beckoned to the waitress and ordered two more brandies. Gorman talked on. One after another the men in the smoking-room got up and went away.
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