“Not exactly nothing, uncle; they have brought him fame,” said Bee.

“Fame is all very well, but money is better,” said the judge.

“The money will come also in good time, uncle; never you fear.  Ishmael has placed his capital out at good interest, and with the best security.”

“What do you mean, Bee?”

“‘Whoso giveth to the poor, lendeth to the Lord.’  Ishmael’s services, given to the poor, are lent to the Lord,” said Bee reverently.

“Humph! humph! humph!” muttered the judge, who never ventured to carry on an argument when the Scripture was quoted against him.  “Well!  I suppose it is all right.  And now I hear that you are counsel for that poor devil Toomey, who fell through the grating of Sarsfield’s cellar, and crippled himself for life.”

“Yes,” said Ishmael.  “I think he is entitled to heavy damages.  It was criminal carelessness in Sarsfield & Company to leave their cellar grating in that unsafe condition for weeks, to the great peril of the passers-by.  It was a regular trap for lives and limbs.  And this poor laborer, passing over it, has fallen and lamed himself for life!  And he has a large family depending upon him for support.  I have laid the damages at five thousand dollars.”

“Yes; but how much do you get?”

“Nothing.  As in the other two cases, my client is not able to pay me a retaining fee, and it is against my principles to accept a contingent one.”

“Humph! that makes three ‘free, gratis, for nothing’ labors!  I wonder how long it will be before the money cases begin to come on?” inquired the judge, a little sarcastically.

“Oh, not very long,” smiled Ishmael.  “I have already received several retaining fees from clients who are able to pay, but whose cases may not come on until the next term.”

“But when does poor Toomey’s case come on?”

“Monday.”

At that moment the door opened, and Powers announced: 

“Lord Vincent!”

The viscount entered the drawing room; and Ishmael’s pleasure was over for that evening.

On Monday Ishmael’s third case, Toomey versus Sarsfield, came on.  It lasted several days, and then was decided in favor of the plaintiff—­Toomey receiving every dollar of the damages claimed for him by his attorney.  In his gratitude the poor man would have pressed a large sum of money, even to one-fifth of his gains, upon his young counsel; but Ishmael, true to his principle of never gambling in justice, refused to take a dollar.

That week the court adjourned; and the young barrister had leisure to study and get up his cases for the next term.  The extra session of Congress was also over.  The Washington season was in fact at an end.  And everybody was preparing to leave town.

Judge Merlin issued a proclamation that his servants should pack up all his effects, preparatory to a migration to Tanglewood; for that chains should not bind him to Washington any longer, nor wild horses draw him to Saratoga, or any other place of public resort; because his very soul was sick of crowds and longed for the wilderness.