th' yard. Wall, he makes no moore ado, for he
didn't keer, gemman or no gemman--didn't Morris--"

"No more ur didn't, Joe," said Mrs. Bumpkin.

"He makes no moore ado, but he up and said, 'damme,' he says, 'sir, you
might as well a said you was gwine to shoot; you might a had me off and
broked my neck.'"

"Haw! haw! haw!" laughed Mr. Bumpkin, and "Well done, Morris," said Mrs.
Bumpkin.

"Wall," said Joe, "this ere gemman says, 'It wouldn't er bin much loss,'
he says, 'if he had!' 'Damme,' roars Morris, 'it had a bin as much wally
to me as yourn, anyhow.'"

They all remembered the story, and even Tim seemed to remember it too,
for when they laughed he wagged his tail and laughed with them.

And thus the evening dragged along and bed time came.

In the morning all was in readiness, and the plaintiff with his witness
drove away in the gig to the station, where Morris waited to bring the
old horse back.

And as the train came into the little country station I awoke.

* * * * *

"I hope," cried my wife, "that Mr. Prigg is a respectable man."

"Respectable," I answered, "I know he is; but whether he is honest is
another matter."

"But don't you know?"

"I only know what I dream."

"I have no opinion of him," said she; "nor of that Locust; I believe they
are a couple of rogues."

"I should be very sorry to suggest such a thing as that," I answered,
"without some proof. Everybody should give credit for the best of
motives."

"But what are all these summonses you speak of?"

"O, they are summonses in the action. You may have as many of them as
you can invent occasion for. You may go up to the Court of Appeal about
twenty times before you try the action, which means about eighty
different hearings before Master and Judges."

"But how can a poor man endure that? It's a great shame."

"He can't--he may have a perfectly good cause of action against a rich
man or a rich company, and they can utterly ruin him before ever his case
can come into Court."

"But will no solicitor take it up for the poor man?"

"Yes, some will, and the only reward they usually get for their pains is
to be stigmatized as having brought a speculative action--accused of
doing it for the sake of costs; although I have known the most honourable
men do it out of pure sympathy for the poor man."

"And so they ought," cried she.

"And I trust," said I, "that hereafter it will be considered honourab