“Whether 'ud you prefar goold or notes,” said Phelim, looking pompously about him; “that's the talk.” This was received with another merry peal of laughter. “Oh, goold--goold by all manes!” replied Donovan. “Here goes the goold, my worthy,” said Phelim, laying down his guinea with a firm slap upon the table. Old Donovan seized it, examined it, then sent it round, to satisfy himself that it was a _bona fide_ guinea. On finding that it was good, he became blank a little; his laugh lost its strength, much of his jollity was instantly neutralized, and his face got at least two inches longer. Larry now had the laugh against him, and the company heartily joined in it. “Come, Paddy,” said Larry, “go an!--ha, ha, ha!” Paddy fished for half a minute through the glove; and, after what was apparently a hard chase, brought up another guinea, which he laid down. “Come, Phelim!” said he, and his eye brightened again with a hope that Phelim would fail. “Good agin!” said Phelim, thundering down another, which was instantly subjected to a similar scrutiny. “You'll find it good,” said Larry. “I wish we had a sackful o' them. Go an, Paddy. Go an, man, who's afeard?” “Sowl, I'm done,” said Donovan, throwing down the purse with a hearty laugh--“give me your hand, Larry. Be the goold afore us, I thought to do you. Sure these two guineas is for my rint, an' we mustn't let them come atween us at all.” “Now,” said Larry, “to let you see that my son's not widout something to begin the world wid--Phelim, shill out the rest o' the yallow boys.” “Faix, you ought to dhrink the ould woman's health for this,” said Phelim. “Poor ould crathur, many a long day she was savin' up these for me. It's my mother I'm speakin' about.” “An' we will, too,” said the father; “here's Sheelah's health, neighbors! The best poor man's wife that ever threwn a gown over her shouldhers.” This was drank with all the honors, and the negotiation proceeded. “Now,” said Appleton, “what's to be done? Paddy, say what you'll do for the girl.” “Money's all talk,” said Donovan; “I'll give the girl the two-year ould heifer--an' that's worth double what his father has promised Phelim; I'll give her a stone o' flax, a dacent suit o' clo'es, my blessin'--an' there's her fortune.” “Has she neither bed nor beddin'?” inquired Larry. “Why, don't you say that Phelim's to have his own bed?” observed Donovan. “Sure one bed 'ill be plinty for them.” “I don't care a damn about fortune,” said Phelim, for the first time taking a part in the bargain--“so long as I get the darlin' herself. But I think there 'ud be no harm in havin' a spare pair o' blankets--an', for that matther, a bedstead, too--in case a friend came to see a body.” “I don't much mind givin' you a brother to the bedstead you have, Phelim,” replied Donovan, winking at the company, for he was perfectly aware of the nature of Phelim's bedstead.