nted you. But times
are changed; capable men, zealous men--ay, sir, and I will say, great
men--are in request now. The public _will_ have them, and ministers can
no longer either overlook their claim or ignore their merit. You may
rely upon it; I see something of what goes on behind the scenes of the
great State drama, and be assured that a new era is about to dawn on the
really able men of this country."

"Your words have given me a degree of encouragement, Mr. Linton, that I
was very far from ever expecting to receive. I have often deplored--not
on my own account, I pledge my honor--but I have grieved for others,
whom I have seen here, unnoticed and undistinguished by successive
Governments."

"Well, there is an end of the system now, and it was time!" said Linton,
solemnly. "But to come back. Is there no chance of stealing you away,
even for a couple of days?"

"Impossible, my dear Mr. Linton. The voluminous mass of evidence yonder
relates to an appeal case, in which I am to appear before 'the Lords.'
It is a most important suit; and I am at this very moment on my way to
London, to attend a consultation with the Solicitor-General."

"How unfortunate!--for _us_, I mean--for, indeed, your client cannot
join in the plaint. By the way, your mention of 'the Lords' reminds me
of a very curious circumstance. You are aware of the manner in which my
friend Cashel succeeded to this great estate here?"

"Yes. I was consulted on a point of law in it, and was present at the
two trials."

"Well, a most singular discovery has been made within the last few days.
I suppose you remember that the property had been part of a confiscated
estate, belonging to an old Irish family, named Corrigan?"

"I remember perfectly,--a very fine old man, that used to be well known
at Daly's Club, long ago."

"The same. Well, this old gentleman has been always under the impression
that shortly after the accession of George III. the Act of Confiscation
was repealed, and a full pardon granted to his ancestors for the part
they had taken in the events of the time."

"I never knew the descendants of one of those 'confiscated' families who
had not some such hallucination," said Hammond, laughing; "they cling to
the straw, like the drowning man."

"Exactly," said Linton. "I quite agree with you. In the present case,
however, the support is better than a straw; for there is an actual
_bona fide_ document extant, purporting to be the very pardon in