“‘Hem,’ said Tim, ‘mind your cue, and I’ll give him a start.’ Here he suddenly changed his whispering tone for one in a louder key, and resumed: ‘I say, Power, it will make some work for you lawyers. But who can she be? that’s the question.’ Here he took a much crumpled letter from his pocket, and pretended to read: ‘“A great sensation was created in the neighborhood of Merrion Square, yesterday, by the sudden disappearance from her house of the handsome Mrs. ------.” Confound it!--what’s the name? What a hand he writes! Hill, or Miles, or something like that,--“the lady of an eminent barrister, now on circuit. The gay Lothario is, they say, the Hon. George ------.”’ I was so thunderstruck at the rashness of the stroke, I could say nothing; while the old gentleman started as if he had sat down on a pin. Casey, meanwhile, went on. “‘Hell and fury!’ said the king’s counsel, rushing over, ‘what is it you’re saying?’ “‘You appear warm, old gentleman,’ said Casey, putting up the letter and rising from the table. “‘Show me that letter!--show me that infernal letter, sir, this instant!’ “‘Show you my letter,’ said Casey; ‘cool, that, anyhow. You are certainly a good one.’ “‘Do you know me, sir? Answer me that,’ said the lawyer, bursting with passion. “‘Not at present,’ said Tim, quietly; ‘but I hope to do so in the morning in explanation of your language and conduct.’ A tremendous ringing of the bell here summoned the waiter to the room. “‘Who is that--’ inquired the lawyer. The epithet he judged it safe to leave unsaid, as he pointed to my friend Casey. “‘Captain Casey, sir, the commanding officer here.’ “‘Just so,’ said Casey. ‘And very much, at your service any hour after five in the morning.’ “‘Then you refuse, sir, to explain the paragraph I have just heard you read?’ “‘Well done, old gentleman; so you have been listening to a private conversation I held with my friend here. In that case we had better retire to our room.’ So saying, he ordered the waiter to send a fresh bottle and glasses to No. 14, and taking my arm, very politely wished Mr. Mills good-night, and left the coffee-room. “Before we had reached the top of the stairs the house was once more in commotion. The new arrival had ordered out fresh horses, and was hurrying every one in his impatience to get away. In ten minutes the chaise rolled off from the door; and Casey, putting his head out of the window, wished him a pleasant journey; while turning to me, he said,-- “‘There’s one of them out of the way for you, if we are even obliged to fight the other.’ “The port was soon despatched, and with it went all the scruples of conscience I had at first felt for the cruel _ruse_ we had just practised. Scarcely was the other bottle called for when we heard the landlord calling out in a stentorian voice,-- “‘Two horses for Goran Bridge to meet Counsellor Kinshella.’ “‘That’s the other fellow?’ said Casey. “‘It is,’ said I.