“Yes, and a pretty point _that_ will make, when pressed against you. No, no, Timms; your client has been ill-advised, or she is unaccountably obstinate. She has friends, although you may not know who they are; and friends who can, and who _would_ very promptly help her, if she would consent to ask their assistance. Indeed, I suspect she has cash enough on hand to buy us off.” “Five thousand dollars is a large sum, Williams, and is not often to be found in Biberry gaol. But, if Mary Monson has these friends, name them, that we may apply for their assistance.” “Harkee, Timms; you are not a man so ignorant of what is going on in the world, as to require to be told the letters of the alphabet. You know that there are extensive associations of rogues in this young country, as well as in most that are older.” “What has that to do with Mary Monson and our case?” “Everything. This Mary Monson has been sent here to get at the gold of the poor old dolt, who has not been able to conceal her treasure after it was hoarded. She made a sub-treasury of her stocking, and exhibited the coin, like any other sub-treasurer. Many persons like to look at it, just to feast their eyes.” “More to finger it; and you are of the number, Williams!” “I admit it. The weakness is general in the profession, I believe. But this is idle talk, and we are losing very precious time. Will you, or will you not, apply again to your client for the money?” “Answer me candidly, a question or two, and I will do as you desire. You know, Williams, that we are old friends, and never had any serious difficulty since we have been called to the bar.” “Oh, assuredly,” answered Williams, with an ironical smile that it might have been fortunate for the negotiation the obscurity concealed from his companion; “excellent friends from the beginning, Timms, and likely to continue so, I trust, to the last. Men who _know_ each other as well as you and I, ought to be on the best of terms. For my part, I never harboured a wrangle at the bar in my mind five minutes after I left the court. Now for your question.” “You surely do not set down Mary Monson as the stool pigeon of a set of York thieves!” “Who, or what else can she be, Mr. Timms? Better educated, and belonging to an ‘upper ten’ in villany, but of a company of rogues. Now, these knaves stand by each other much more faithfully than the body of the citizens stand by the law; and the five thousand will be forthcoming for the asking.” “Are you serious in wishing me to believe you think my client guilty!” Here Williams made no bones of laughing outright. It is true that he suppressed the noise immediately, lest it should attract attention; but laugh he did, and with right good will. “Come, Timms, you have asked your question, and I leave you to answer it yourself. One thing I will say, however, in the way of admonition, which is this—we shall make out such a case against her to-morrow as would hang a governor, as I have already told you.”