As soon as all this matter was satisfactorily settled Ishmael arose and bid them all good-night, promising to repeat his visit often while his relatives remained at the hotel.

It was late when Ishmael reached home, but the drawing-room was ablaze with light, and as he passed its open door he saw that its only occupants were the Viscount Vincent and Claudia Merlin.  They were together on the sofa, talking in low, confidential tones.  How beautiful she looked! smiling up to the handsome face that was bent in deferential admiration over hers.  A pang of love and jealousy wrung Ishmael’s heart as he hurried past and ran up the stairs to his den.  There he sat down at his desk, and, bidding vain dreams begone, concentrated his thoughts upon the work before him—­the first speech he was to make at the bar.

Ishmael worked very hard the day preceding the trial; he took great pains getting up his case, not only for his own sake, but for the sake of that poor mother and her children in whom he felt so deeply interested.

No farther allusion was made to the affair by any member of Judge Merlin’s family until Wednesday morning, when, as they all sat around the breakfast table, the judge said: 

“Well, Ishmael, the case of Walsh versus Walsh comes on to-day, I hear.  How do you feel? a little nervous over your first case, eh?”

“Not yet; I feel only great confidence in the justice of my cause, as an earnest of success.”

“The justice of his cause!  Poor fellow, how much he has to learn yet!  Why, Ishmael, how many times have you seen justice overthrown by law?”

“Too many times, sir; but there is no earthly reason why that should happen in this case.”

“Have you got your maiden speech all cut and dried and ready to deliver?”

“I have made some notes; but for the rest I shall trust to the inspiration of the instant.”

“Bad plan that.  ’Spose the inspiration don’t come? or ’spose you lose your presence of mind?  Better have your speech carefully written off, and then, inspiration or no inspiration, you will be able to read, at least.”

“My notes are very carefully arranged; they contain the whole argument.”

“And for the rest ’it shall be given ye in that hour, what ye shall speak,’” said Beatrice earnestly.

They all arose and left the table.

“Thank you, dearest Bee,” said Ishmael, as he passed her.

“God aid you, Ishmael!” she replied fervently.

He hurried upstairs to collect his documents, and then hastened to the City Hall, where Mrs. Walsh and her children were to meet him.

He found them all in the ante-chamber of the courtroom, attended by a bodyguard composed of Reuben, Hannah, and the landlady.

He spoke a few encouraging words to his client, shook hands with the members of her party, and then took them all into the courtroom and showed them their places.  The plaintiff was not present.  The judges had not yet taken their seats.  And the courtroom was occupied only by a few lawyers, clerks, bailiffs, constables, and other officials.