commission, and the discount, and the
interest, and the devil knows what besides of law expenses--"

Here he stopped abruptly, for he had unwittingly strayed into another
and very different hypothesis regarding the fate of his bill. However,
he pulled up short, tossed off his punch, and said, "I only wish he 'd
do it!"

"Why not try him, then? you ought, at least, to give yourself the
chance."

"And, if he refused me, I'd have to call him out," said Dalton, gravely;
"and just see all the confusion that would lead to. My daughter on a
visit there, myself here, and, maybe, obliged to go hundreds of miles to
meet him, and no end to the expense, taking a friend with me, too. No,
no! that would be too selfish entirely."

"What if you were to throw out a hint, when you write to your daughter,
allude to present pressure for money; speak of tenants in arrear;
remittances not arrived?"

"Oh, faith! there's no need prompting me about these things," said
Dalton, with a bitter laugh. "I know them too well already."

"Write a few lines, then; you'll find paper and pens on that table.
I 've told you that I will send it under my own seal, with the
despatches."

Dalton was very little given to letter-writing at any period; but to
encounter the labor at night by candle-light, and after a few hours'
carouse, seemed to him quite out of the question. Still, the Embassy
seal, whatever that might be, was no common temptation. Perhaps he
fancied it to be like one of those portentous appendages which are seen
attached to royal grants! Who can tell what amount of wax and ribbon his
imagination bestowed upon it! Besides this, there was another motive,
never again, perhaps, should he be able to write without Nelly's
knowledge. This consideration decided the question at once. Accordingly,
he put on his spectacles, and seated himself gravely to the work, which
proceeded thus:

DEAR KATE, I 'm spending the evening with your friend the
Ambassador of I forget where--Fogles is his name and as
pleasant a man as I ever met; and he sends his regards to
you and all the family, and transmits this under his own
seal. Things is going on bad enough here. Not a shilling out
of Crognoborraghan. Healey ran away with the November rent
and the crops, and Sweeney 's got into the place, and won't
give it up to any one with out he gets forty pound! I 'd
give him forty of my teeth as soon, if I had them! Ryan