Patrick and Jamie, who had thus far taken no part in the affray, felt themselves aggrieved by the presence of an official whom they had no particular reasons for admiring, and whose presence had more than once been a check upon their professional labors. They first began to grumble together in a low voice, and finding that they could do this with impunity, they felt emboldened to proceed still farther. ‘The boys has got to be very civil in these times,’ said Patrick. ‘Oh! it was nothing but a little spree like, they was having—no harm at all, at all, in a free country, just for a lark like,’ returned Jamie carelessly. ‘But the laws is very strict for all that,’ said Patrick, nodding graciously. ‘Oh, murder, yes,’ returned Jamie, ‘its English laws they are like more than like what it used to be, before their—’ ‘You mane the Vigilance Committee, Jamie; oh! bad luck to ’em, they is no lawful powers any how. There’s niver been any good in the place since they began to meddle with the payple.’ Several of the company drew near the two Irishmen and seemed to be interested in their discourse, while Charley, in conversation with the keeper of the den, eyed them at a distance. In the mean time, the two orators, believing they were at the head of a considerable party, got on their feet, and began to swagger about the hall and swing their fists in close proximity to such persons present as they supposed to be unfavorable to their views. Jamie was particularly violent until he happened to graze the shoulder of Charley who, shooting out a fist that would have startled an ox, struck the big Irishman under the ear and felled him to the floor. What would have been the result of this demonstration, if the door had not opened at the moment, we cannot say, but all eyes were turned upon the individual who now made his appearance. This was a man of youthful appearance, some thirty-five years of age, rather tall and well made, with red whiskers and moustaches and a very good set of teeth. He was a little pock-marked though not enough to injure his chance with the ladies, and his manner was both brisk and ostentatious. He was dressed in the extreme of fashion, with a profusion of rings on his fingers, and his entrance filled the dingy apartment with the scent of musk.—Taking out a blue silk handkerchief with which he made as if he would have wiped his face, and which he then flourished about the room a moment, he thrust out a leg as if to exhibit a boot of patent leather, and planting his heel jauntily on the floor, he put the question— ‘Well, boys, has Monteagle called here for me, to-night?’ Without waiting for an answer he clapped his hands familiarly on the shoulder of Charley, saying—‘How about that prisoner of yours? all safe, eh?’ ‘Montgomery, do you mean?’ asked Charley in his deep base voice. ‘Ah! that _was_ his name I believe. He’ll be triced up, I take it—scragged, as the Botany boys call it. Ha! ha! ha!’