“Say, sir? What can any one say, but that the move showed a master's hand, as much above our skill to accomplish as it was beyond our wit to conceive? I should like greatly to hear how you intend to play the game out,” said O'Reilly, throwing a most flattering expression of mingled curiosity and astonishment into his features. “Wait till I see what trumps the adversary has in hand, Bob; time enough to determine the lead when the cards are dealt.” “I suppose I must keep out of sight, and perhaps Nalty also.” “Nalty ought to be in the house if we want him; as my medical friend, he could assist to draw any little memorandum we might determine upon; a mere note, Bob, between friends, not requiring the interference of lawyers, eh?” There was something fiendish in the low laugh which accompanied these words. “What brings that fellow into the room so often, putting turf on, and looking if the windows are fast? I don't like him, Bob.” This was said in reference to a little chubby man, in a waiter's jacket, who really had taken every imaginable professional privilege to obtrude his presence. “There, there, that will do,” said O'Reilly, harshly; “you needn't come till we ring the bell.” “Leave the turf-basket where it is. Don't you think we can mind the fire for ourselves?” “Let Joe wait, that will be better, sir,” whispered O'Reilly; “we cannot be too cautious here.” And with a motion of the hand he dismissed the waiter, who, true to his order, seemed never to hear “an aside.” “Leave me by myself, Bob, for half an hour; I 'd like to collect my thoughts,--to settle and think over this meeting. It's past eleven now, and she said twelve o'clock in the note.” “Well, I 'll take a stroll over the hills, and be back for dinner about three; you'll be up by that time.” “That will I, and very hungry too,” muttered the old man. “This dying scene has cost me the loss of my breakfast; and, faith, I 'm so weak and low, my head is quite dizzy. There 's an old saying, Mocking is catching; and sure enough there may be some truth in it too.” O'Reilly affected not to hear the remark, and moved towards the door, when he turned about and said,-- “I should say, sir, that the wisest course would be to avoid anything like coercion, or the slightest approach to it. The more the appeal is made to her feelings of compassion and pity--” “For great age and bodily infirmity,” croaked the old man, while the filmy orbs shot forth a flash of malicious intelligence. “Just so, sir. To others' eyes you do indeed seem weak and bowed down with years. It is only they who have opportunity to recognize the clearness of your intellect and the correctness of your judgment can see how little inroad time has made.” “Ay, but it has, though,” interposed the old man, irritably. “My hand shakes more than it used to do; there 's many an operation I 'd not be able for as I once was.”