o
be closed at this hour. So they walked directly to the little suburban
cottage where she lived with one faithful old negro servant, who had
been her nurse, and with her cow and pig and poultry and her pet dog and
cat. They made her heart glad with the news of the children's arrival,
and they waited until, with fingers that trembled almost too much to do
the work, she put on her bonnet and mantle to accompany them to the
Farmer's.

The meeting between the mother and children was very affecting. She
informed them that, this being Holy Thursday evening, she had dismissed
the school for the Easter holidays, and so could be with them all the
time until she should take them into court on Wednesday of the ensuing
week.

Then in family council it was arranged that both herself and the
children should remain at the Farmer's until the day of the trial.

As soon as all this matter was satisfactorily settled Ishmael arose and
bid them all good-night, promising to repeat his visit often while his
relatives remained at the hotel.

It was late when Ishmael reached home, but the drawing-room was ablaze
with light, and as he passed its open door he saw that its only
occupants were the Viscount Vincent and Claudia Merlin. They were
together on the sofa, talking in low, confidential tones. How beautiful
she looked! smiling up to the handsome face that was bent in deferential
admiration over hers. A pang of love and jealousy wrung Ishmael's heart
as he hurried past and ran up the stairs to his den. There he sat down
at his desk, and, bidding vain dreams begone, concentrated his thoughts
upon the work before him--the first speech he was to make at the bar.

Ishmael worked very hard the day preceding the trial; he took great
pains getting up his case, not only for his own sake, but for the sake
of that poor mother and her children in whom he felt so deeply
interested.

No farther allusion was made to the affair by any member of Judge
Merlin's family until Wednesday morning, when, as they all sat around
the breakfast table, the judge said:

"Well, Ishmael, the case of Walsh versus Walsh comes on to-day, I hear.
How do you feel? a little nervous over your first case, eh?"

"Not yet; I feel only great confidence in the justice of my cause, as an
earnest of success."

"The justice of his cause! Poor fellow, how much he has to learn yet!
Why, Ishmael, how many times have you seen justice overthrown by law?"

"Too many times, sir; b