tic adventure in the west,--and faith there is no doubt you saved the
lady's life."

"Was she worth the trouble of it?" said the old major, whose conjugal
experiences imparted a very crusty tone to the question.

"I think," said I, "I need only tell her name to convince you of it."

"Here's a bumper to her," said Power, filling his glass; "and every true
man will follow my example."

When the hip-hipping which followed the toast was over, I found myself
enjoying no small share of the attention of the party as the deliverer of
Lucy Dashwood.

"Sir George is cudgelling his brain to show his gratitude to you," said
Power.

"What a pity, for the sake of his peace of mind, that you're not in the
army," said another; "it's so easy to show a man a delicate regard by a
quick promotion."

"A devil of a pity for his own sake, too," said Power, again; "they're
going to make a lawyer of as strapping a fellow as ever carried a
sabretasche."

"A lawyer!" cried out half a dozen together, pretty much with the same tone
and emphasis as though he had said a twopenny postman; "the devil they
are."

"Cut the service at once; you'll get no promotion in it," said the colonel;
"a fellow with a black eye like you would look much better at the head of
a squadron than of a string of witnesses. Trust me, you'd shine more in
conducting a picket than a prosecution."

"But if I can't?" said I.

"Then take my plan," said Power, "and make it cut _you_."

"Yours?" said two or three in a breath,--"yours?"

"Ay, mine; did you never know that I was bred to the bar? Come, come, if
it was only for O'Malley's use and benefit, as we say in the parchments, I
must tell you the story."

The claret was pushed briskly round, chairs drawn up to fill any vacant
spaces, and Power began his story.

"As I am not over long-winded, don't be scared at my beginning my
history somewhat far back. I began life that most unlucky of all earthly
contrivances for supplying casualties in case anything may befall the heir
of the house,--a species of domestic jury-mast, only lugged out in a gale
of wind,--a younger son. My brother Tom, a thick-skulled, pudding-headed
dog, that had no taste for anything save his dinner, took it into his wise
head one morning that he would go into the army, and although I had been
originally destined for a soldier, no sooner was his choice made than
all regard for my taste and inclination was forgotten; and as the family
interest w