interestedness, or--or--"

"Poetry," suggested Cutbill.

"No, sir; patriotism was the word I sought for. And it is not by any
means necessary that a man should be an Irishman to care for Ireland. I
think, sir, there is nothing in that sentiment at least which will move
your ridicule."

"Quite the reverse. I have drunk 'Prosperity to Ireland' at public
dinners for twenty years; and in very good liquor too, occasionally."

"I am happy to address a gentleman so graciously disposed to listen to
me," said Bramleigh, whose face was now crimson with anger. "There is
only one thing more to be wished for--that he would join some amount of
trustfulness to his politeness; with that he would be perfect."

"Here goes, then, for perfection," cried Cutbill, gayly. "I 'm ready
from this time to believe anything you tell me."

"Sir, I will not draw largely on the fund you so generously place at my
disposal. I will simply ask you to believe me a man of honor."

"Only that? No more than that?"

"No more, I pledge you my word."

"My dear Bramleigh, your return for the income-tax is enough to prove
that. Nothing short of high integrity ever possessed as good a fortune
as yours."

"You are speaking of my fortune, Mr. Cutbill, not of my character."

"Ain't they the same? Ain't they one and the same? Show me your
dividends, and I will show you your disposition--that's as true as the
Bible."

"I will not follow you into this nice inquiry. I will simply return to
where I started from, and repeat, I want to do something for Ireland."

"Do it, in God's name; and I hope you 'll like it when it 's done.
I have known some half-dozen men in my time who had the same sort of
ambition. One of them tried a cotton-mill on the Liffey, and they burned
him down. Another went in for patent fuel, and they shot his steward. A
third tried Galway marble, and they shot himself. But after all there 's
more honor where there 's more danger, What, may I ask, is your little
game for Ireland?"

"I begin to suspect that a better time for business, Mr. Cutbill, might
be an hour after breakfast. Shall we adjourn till to-morrow morning?"

"I am completely at your orders. For my own part, I never felt clearer
in my life than I do this minute. I 'm ready to go into coal with you:
from the time of sinking the shaft to riddling the slack, my little
calculations are all made. I could address a board of managing directors
here as I sit; and say, what for dividen