ned Stevens, courageously,
for the liquor was beginning to have a very inspiriting effect. "It's a
lie--I paid you all I agreed upon, and more besides; but you are like a
leech--never satisfied. You have had from me altogether nearly twenty
thousand dollars, and you'll not get much more--now, mind I tell you."

"The divil I won't," rejoined he, angrily; "that is yet to be seen. How
would you like to make yer appearance at court some fine morning, on the
charge of murther, eh?" Mr. Stevens gave a perceptible shudder, and looked
round, whereupon McCloskey said, with a malevolent grin, "Ye see I don't
stick at words, squire; I call things by their names."

"So I perceive," answered Stevens. "You were not so bold once."

"Ha, ha!" laughed McCloskey. "I know _that_ as well as you--then _I_ was
under the thumb--that was before we were sailing in the one boat; now ye
see, squire, the boot is on the other leg." Mr. Stevens remained quiet
for a few moments, whilst his ragged visitor continued to leisurely sip his
brandy and contemplate the soles of his boots as they were reflected in the
mirror above--they were a sorry pair of boots, and looked as if there would
soon be a general outbreak of his toes--so thin and dilapidated did the
soles appear.

"Look at thim boots, and me suit ginerally, and see if your conscience
won't accuse ye of ingratitude to the man who made yer fortune--or rather
lets ye keep it, now ye have it. Isn't it a shame now for me, the best
friend you've got in the world, to be tramping the streets widdout a penny
in his pocket, and ye livin' in clover, with gold pieces as plenty as
blackberries. It don't look right, squire, and mustn't go on any longer."

"What do you want--whatever will satisfy you?" asked Stevens. "If I give
you ever so much now, what guarantee have I that you'll not return in a
month or so, and want as much more?"

"I'll pledge ye me honour," said McCloskey, grandly.

"Your honour!" rejoined Stevens, "that is no security."

"Security or no security," said McCloskey, impatiently, "you'll have to
give me the money--it's not a bit of use now this disputin, bekase ye see
I'm bound to have it, and ye are wise enough to know ye'd better give it to
me. What if ye have give me thousands upon thousands," continued he, his
former good-humoured expression entirely vanishing; "it's nothing more than
you ought to do for keeping yer secrets for ye--and as long as ye have
money, ye may expect to s