Your name may be Belzebub, instead of Evil, or Devil, for that matter--all we want to know is, whether you're staunch and of the right metal.' "'That, gentlemen,' I replied, 'I trust time will tell' "'I shall be very proud--I speak it not, I hope, in a worldly sense,' said a little thin man dressed in black--'no, not in a worldly sense I shall be proud, sir, of your acquaintance.

To me it is quite sufficient that you are here as the friend of my excellent friend, Mr.Valentine M'Clutchy; a man, I trust, not without a deep and searching spirit of--' "'Come, Solomon,' said a large, broad-shouldered man, with a face in which were singularly blended the almost incompatible principles of fun and ferocity, 'Come, Solomon, none of your preaching here so soon--you know you're not up to the praying point yet, nor within four tumblers of it.

So, as you say yourself, wait for your gifts, my lad.' "'Ah, Tom,' replied Solomon with a smile, 'alway's facetious--always fond of a harmless and edifying jest.' "'My name, sir,' added he, 'is M'Slime; I have the honor to be Law Agent to the Castle Cumber property, and occasionally to transact business with our friend M'Clutchy.' "Here the waiter entered with a glass and tumbler, and Phil desired them to shove me up the decanter.

This, however, I declined, as not being yet sufficiently accustomed to whiskey punch to be able to drink it without indisposition.

I begged, however, to be allowed to substitute a little cold sherry and water in its stead.
"'I'm afeard, sir,' observed another strong-looking man, 'that you are likely to prove a cool Orangeman on our hands.