"Well," he said, as soon as he was left alone with his client, "the poor devil Frisbie is gone." "Yes," responded the viscount, in a low voice. "That is an ugly business of the confession." "Very; the man was mad," said the viscount. "Not unlikely; but I wish we may be able to persuade the jury that he was so; or else to induce the judges to rule his evidence out altogether." "Can that be done? I mean can the judges be induced to rule out the confession as evidence?" inquired the viscount, sudden hope lighting up his hitherto dejected countenance. "I fear not; I fear that our chance is to persuade the jury that the man was insane or mendacious--in a word, to impeach his rationality or his truthfulness, one or the other; we must decide which stand we are to take, which call in question." "You might doubt either his sanity or his truth with equally good cause. He was always a fool and always a liar. When is the trial to come on?" "That is just what I came to speak to you about. It is called for to-morrow at ten." "To-morrow at ten?" "Yes." "Are you quite ready with the defense?" "I was until this nasty business of Frisbie's confession turned up. I shall have to take a copy of the paper containing it home with me to-night, and study it, to see how I can pull it to pieces, and destroy its effects upon the jury. Have you got it here?" said Mr. Bruce, taking up the afternoon paper that lay upon the table. "Yes." "Have you done with it?" "Yes." The lawyer folded up the paper and put it in his pocket, and took his hat to depart. "Mr. Bruce," said the viscount earnestly, "I am about to ask you a question, which I must entreat you to answer truthfully: What are the chances of my acquittal?" The lawyer hesitated and changed color. The eyes of the viscount were fixed earnestly upon him. The eyes of the counsel fell. "I see; you need not reply to my question. You think my chance a bad one," said Lord Vincent despondently. "No, my lord; I did not mean to give you any such impression," said Mr. Bruce, recovering himself and his professional manners. "Before this troublesome confession of Frisbie's your chance was an excellent one--" "But since?" "Well, as I say, that is an ugly feature in the case; but I will do my best. And to say nothing of my own poor abilities, my colleagues, Stair and Drummond, are among the most successful barristers in the kingdom. They are always safe to gain a verdict where there is a verdict possible to be gained." "Yes; I know that I have the best talent in the Three Kingdoms engaged in my defense," said the viscount; but he said it with a profound sigh. "I will look in upon you again early to-morrow morning, before we go into court," said Mr. Bruce, as he bowed himself out.