“Your dream tallies but ill, sir, with the rumors through Dublin,” said O'Reilly, whose quick glance saw through the mask of indifference by which Heffernan concealed his irritation. “I did n't hear it. What was it, Bob?” “That the ministry had offered our friend here the secretaryship for Ireland.” “Sure, if they did--” He was about to add, “That he 'd have as certainly accepted it,” when a sense of the impropriety of such a speech arrested the words. “You are mistaken, sir,” interposed Heffernan, answering the unspoken sentence. “I did refuse. The conditions on which I accorded my humble support to the bill of the Union have been shamefully violated, and I could not, if I even wished it, accept office from a Government that have been false to their pledges.” “You see my dream was right, after all,” chuckled the old man. “I said they kept him working away in the kitchen, and gave him none of the meat afterwards.” “What if I had been stipulating for another, sir?” said Heffernan, with a forced smile. “What if the breach of faith I allude to had reference not to me, but to your son yonder, for whom, and no other, I asked--I will not say a favor, but a fair and reasonable acknowledgment of the station he occupies?” “Ah, that weary title!” exclaimed the doctor, crankily. “What have we to do with these things?” “You are right, sir,” chimed in O'Halloran. “Your present position, self-acquired and independent, is a far prouder one than any to be obtained by ministerial favor.” “I 'd rather he'd help us to crush these Darcys,” said the old man, as his eyes sparkled and glistened like the orbs of a serpent. “I 'd rather my Lord Castlereagh would put his heel upon _them_ than stretch out the hand to _us_.” “What need to trouble your head about them?” said Heffernan, conciliatingly; “they are low enough in all conscience now.” “My father means,” said O'Reilly, “that he is tired and sick of the incessant appeals to law this family persist in following; that these trials irritate and annoy him.” “Come sir,” cried O'Halloran, encouragingly, “you shall see the last of them in a few weeks. I have reason to know that an old maiden sister of Bagenal Daly's has supplied Bicknell with the means of the present action. It's the last shot in the locker. We 'll take care to make the gun recoil on the hand that fires it.” “Darcy and Daly are both out of the country,” observed the old man, cunningly. “We 'll call them up for judgment, however,” chimed in O'Halloran. “That same Daly is one of those men who infested our country in times past, and by the mere recklessness of their hold on life, bullied and oppressed all who came before them. I am rejoiced to have an opportunity of showing up such a character.” “I wish we had done with them all,” sighed the doctor. “So you shall, with this record. Will you pledge yourself not to object to the election expenses if I gain you the verdict?” “Come, that's a fair offer,” said Heffernan, laughing.