'My father is my father; but Joseph is just as much my uncle as he's yours; and you have no right to sequestrate his person.' 'I do no such thing,' said Morris doggedly.

'He is not well, he is dangerously ill and nobody can see him.' 'I'll tell you what, then,' said Michael.

'I'll make a clean breast of it.

I have come down like the opossum, Morris; I have come to compromise.' Poor Morris turned as pale as death, and then a flush of wrath against the injustice of man's destiny dyed his very temples.

'What do you mean ?' he cried, 'I don't believe a word of it.' And when Michael had assured him of his seriousness, 'Well, then,' he cried, with another deep flush, 'I won't; so you can put that in your pipe and smoke it.' 'Oho!' said Michael queerly.