“And fwhot’s the Ring?” asked his client sharply.

“The Ring is—­ahem! a combination of unprincipled but wealthy persons to defeat the ends of justice.”

“And sure, fwhot’s the Ring to do wid me grant as that thaving Mexican gave me as the collatherals for the bourd he was owin’ me?  Eh, mind that now!”

“The Ring, my dear sir, is the other side.  It is—­ahem! always the Other Side.”

“And why the divel haven’t we a Ring too?  And ain’t I payin’ ye five hundred dollars,—­and the divel of Ring ye have, at all, at all?  Fwhot am I payin’ ye fur, eh?”

“That a judicious expenditure of money,” began Mr. Wood, “outside of actual disbursements, may not be of infinite service to you I am not prepared to deny,—­but—­”

“Look ye, Mr. Sappy Wood, it’s the ‘appale’ I want, and the grant I’ll have, more betoken as the old woman’s har-rut and me own is set on it entoirely.  Get me the land and I’ll give ye the half of it,—­and it’s a bargain!”

“But my dear sir, there are some rules in our profession,—­technical though they may be—­”

“The divel fly away wid yer profession.  Sure is it better nor me own?  If I’ve risked me provisions and me whisky, that cost me solid goold in Frisco, on that thafe Garcia’s claim, bedad! the loikes of ye can risk yer law.”

“Well,” said Wood, with an awkward smile, “I suppose that a deed for one half, on the consideration of friendship, my dear sir, and a dollar in hand paid by me, might be reconcilable.”

“Now it’s talkin’ ye are.  But who’s the felly we’re foighten, that’s got the Ring?”

“Ah, my dear sir, it’s the United States,” said the lawyer with gravity.

“The States! the Government is it?  And is’t that ye’re afeared of?  Sure it’s the Government that I fought in me own counthree, it was the Government that druv me to Ameriky, and is it now that I’m going back on me principles?”

“Your political sentiments do you great credit,” began Mr. Wood.

“But fwhot’s the Government to do wid the appale?”

“The Government,” said Mr. Wood significantly, “will be represented by the District Attorney.”

“And who’s the spalpeen?”

“It is rumored,” said Mr. Wood, slowly, “that a new one is to be appointed.  I, myself, have had some ambition that way.”

His client bent a pair of cunning but not over-wise grey eyes on his American lawyer.  But he only said, “Ye have, eh?”

“Yes,” said Wood, answering the look boldly; “and if I had the support of a number of your prominent countrymen, who are so powerful with all parties,—­men like you, my dear sir,—­why, I think you might in time become a conservative, at least more resigned to the Government.”

Then the lesser and the greater scamp looked at each other, and for a moment or two felt a warm, sympathetic, friendly emotion for each other, and quietly shook hands.