" called the Earl. "Tompkins, get out! Is it
your duty to stand there mummified? Get out!"

The servant hastily withdrew, and I walked slowly to the great man's
bedside. Two shining shrewd eyes looked at me from a mass of pillows,
and I had a knowledge of an aged face, half smiling and yet satirical,
even malignant.

"And so this is the young fortune-hunter from Ireland," he said in a
hoarse sick-man's voice. "The young fortune-hunter! Ha! With his
worthless papers! Ha!"

"Worthless?" cried I, starting.

"Worthless!" cried the Earl vehemently. He tried to lift himself in
his bed, in order to make more emphasis. "Worthless! Nothing but
straw--straw--straw!" Then he cackled out a laugh.

And this was my inheritance! I could have sobbed my grief and anger,
but I took firm hold on myself and resolved upon another way of
dealing with the nobleman.

"My lord," said I coolly, "My father is dead. When he was dying he
gave certain papers into my hands,--papers which he had guarded for
many years,--and bade me, as his son, to deliver them into the hands
of an old friend and comrade; and I come to this old friend and
comrade of my father, and he lies back in his bed and cackles at me
like a hen. 'Tis a small foot I would have set upon England if I had
known more of you, you old skate!"

But still he laughed and cried: "Straw! Straw! Nothing but straw!"

"Well, sir," said I with icy dignity, "I may be a fool of an Irishman
with no title save an older one than yours; but I would be deeply
sorry if there came a day when I should throw a trust back in the
teeth of a dead comrade's son."

"No," said the bright-eyed old man, comforting himself amid his
pillows. "Look you, O'Ruddy! You are a rascal! You came over in an
attempt to ruin me! I know it!"

I was awed by this accusation. It seemed to me to be too grand, too
gorgeous for my personal consumption. I knew not what to do with this
colossus. It towered above me in splendour and gilt. I had never
expected to be challenged with attempting to ruin earls. My father had
often ruined sea-captains, but he never in his life ruined so much as
a baronet. It seemed altogether too fine for my family, but I could
only blurt weakly, "Yessir." I was much like a lackey.

"Aye," said the old man, suddenly feeble from the excitement, "I see
you admit it, you black Irish rogue." He sank back and applied a
napkin to his mouth. It seemed to come away stained with blood. "You
scoundrel!"