t expect me
to answer you for fifteen minutes more."

Agincourt nodded, and seated himself at the table, in quiet
contemplation of the O'Shea's performance. "I got an answer to my letter
about you," said he, at length, and rather curious to watch the struggle
between his hunger and his curiosity.

O'Shea gave a nod, as though to say "Proceed;" but Agincourt said
nothing.

"Well, go on!" cried O'Shea, as he helped himself to half a duck.

"It's a long-winded sort of epistle," said Agincourt, now determined to
try his patience to the uttermost. "I 'll have to show it to you."

"Is it Yes or No?" asked O'Shea, eagerly, and almost choking himself
with the effort to speak.

"That's pretty much how you take it. You see, my uncle is one of those
formal old fellows trained in official life, and who have a horror of
doing anything against the traditions of a department--"

"Well, well, well! but can't he say whether he 'll give me something or
not?"

"So he does say it, but you interrupt me at every moment. When you have
read through his letter, you 'll be able to appreciate the difficulties
of his position, and also decide on what you think most conducive to
your own interests."

O'Shea groaned heavily, as he placed the remainder of the duck on his
plate.

"What of your duel? How did it go off?"

"Beautifully."

"Did your man behave well?"

"Beautifully."

"Was he hit?"

A shake of the head.

"Was the Frenchman wounded?"

"Here--flesh wound--nothing serious."

"That's all right. I'll leave you now, to finish your lunch in quiet.
You 'll find me on the Pincian when you stroll out."

"Look here! Don't go! Wait a bit! I want you to tell me in one
word,--can I get anything or not?"

The intense earnestness of his face as he spoke would have made any
further tantalizing such a cruelty that Agincourt answered frankly,
"Yes, old fellow, they 've made you a Boundary Commissioner; I forget
where, but you're to have a thousand a year, and some allowances
besides."

"This is n't a joke? You 're telling me truth?" asked he, trembling all
over with anxiety.

"On honor," said Agincourt, giving his hand.

"You 're a trump, then; upon my conscience, you 're a trump. Here I am
now, close upon eight-and-thirty,--I don't look it by five years, but I
am,--and after sitting for four sessions in Parliament, not a man did I
ever find would do me a hand's turn, but it 's to a brat of a boy I
owe the only bit of good f