puting it--and--and I think,
Doctor Toole, I know something of my business.'

There was another pause, during which Toole, flushed and shocked, turned
his gaze from Gamble to Nutter.

''Tis a true bill, then?' said Toole, scarcely above his breath, and
very dismally.

A swarthy flush covered Nutter's dark face. The man was ashamed.

''Tis nigh eighteen years ago, Sir,' said Nutter embarrassed, as he well
might be. 'I was a younger man, then, and was bit, Sir, as many another
has been, and that's all.'

Toole got up, stood before the fire-place, and hung his head, with
compressed lips, and there was a silence, interrupted by the hard man
of the law, who was now tumbling over his papers in search of a
document, and humming a tune as he did so.

'It may be a good move for Charles Nutter, Sir, but it looks very like a
checkmate for poor Sally,' muttered Toole angrily.

Mr. Luke Gamble either did not hear him, or did not care a farthing what
he said; and he hummed his tune very contentedly.

'And I had, moreover,' said he, 'to make another admission for the same
reason, videlicet, that Mary Matchwell, who now occupies a portion of
the Mills, the promovent in this suit, and Mary Duncan mentioned in that
certificate, are one and the same person. Here's our answer to their
notice, admitting the fact.'

'I thank you,' said Toole again, rather savagely, for a glance over his
shoulder had shown him the attorney's face grinning with malicious
amusement, as it seemed to him, while he readjusted the packet of papers
from which he had just taken the notice; 'I saw it, Sir, your brother
lawyer, Mr. O'Reegan, Sir, showed it me this morning.'

And Toole thought of poor little Sally Nutter, and all the wreck and
ruin coming upon her and the Mills, and began to con over his own
liabilities, and to reflect seriously whether, in some of his brisk
altercations on her behalf with Dirty Davy and his client, he might not
have committed himself rather dangerously; and especially the
consequences of his morning's collision with Davy grew in darkness and
magnitude very seriously, as he reflected that his entire statement had
turned out to be true, and that he and his client were on the winning
side.

'It seems to me, Sir, you might have given some of poor Mrs. Nutter's
friends at Chapelizod a hint of the state of things. I, Sir, and Father
Roach--we've meddled, Sir, more in the business--than--than--but no
matter now--and all under a