ope," said one of his late
antagonists; "as usual he rises the only winner."

"You can scarcely call it luck," said another; "he is a first-rate
player, and always so cool."

Meanwhile, Linton, mounting his horse, rode slowly along the streets
till he arrived at Bilton's Hotel, where a handsome britzska was
standing, whose large up-standing horses and richly-mounted harnessing
gave token of London rather than of Dublin taste.

"Is her Ladyship going out, Halpin?" said he to the footman.

"Her Ladyship ordered the carriage for four precisely, sir."

Linton mused for a second or two, and then asked if Lord Kilgoff were at
home, and not waiting for a reply, passed on.

No sooner, however, had he reached the landing-place, and was beyond the
observation of the servant, than he halted and appeared to reflect At
last, as if having made his resolve, he turned to descend the stairs,
when the drawing-room door opened and Lord Kilgoff appeared.

"The very man I wanted. Linton, come here," cried he, re-entering the
room.

"I was just on my way to you, my Lord," said Linton, with well-affected
eagerness.

"Are they out, Linton, are they 'out'?" said he, in breathless
impatience.

"No, my Lord. I've seen Meek; they're safe for the present. A coalition
has been formed with O'Morgan and his party, which secures a working
majority of forty-five or fifty."

"This is certain, Linton; may I rely upon it?"

"You may, my Lord, with confidence."

"Then I suppose the moment has come when my adhesion would be most
well-timed. It's a grave question, Tom; everything depends on it. If I
join them and they go out--"

"Why, your Lordship goes out too, without ever having the satisfaction
of being 'in.'"

"Not if they gave me the mission to Florence, Tom. They never remove the
smaller legations in any change of parties."

"But you could not help resigning, my Lord; you should follow your
friends," said Linton, with an assumed air of high principle.

"Not a bit of it; I 'd hold on. I see no reason whatever for such a
course. I have made a rough draft of a letter which Hindley should show
to Peel. See here, this is the important passage. I presuppose that I
had already given Hindley my resignation to hand in to Aberdeen, but
that yielding to his arguments, who refuses to deliver it, I have
reconsidered the matter. Now, listen: 'You say that my functions are
not of a nature to admit any line of partisanship, and that a man
of hon