And yet the claim was rejected! Having lately recommended two separate
claimants to a patent for the same land, the Land Commission became
cautious and conservative.

Roscommon was at first astounded, then indignant, and then warlike,--he
was for an "appale to onst!"

With the reader's previous knowledge of Roscommon's disposition this
may seem somewhat inconsistent; but there are certain natures to whom
litigation has all the excitement of gambling, and it should be borne
in mind that this was his first lawsuit. So that his lawyer, Mr.
Saponaceous Wood, found him in that belligerent mood to which counsel
are obliged to hypocritically bring all the sophistries of their
profession.

"Of course you have your right to an appeal, but calm yourself, my
dear sir, and consider. The case was presented strongly, the evidence
overwhelming on our side, but we happened to be fighting previous
decisions of the Land Commission that had brought them into trouble; so
that if Micheltorena had himself appeared in Court and testified to
his giving you the grant, it would have made no difference,--no Spanish
grant had a show then, nor will it have for the next six months. You
see, my dear sir, the Government sent out one of its big Washington
lawyers to look into this business, and he reported frauds, sir, frauds,
in a majority of the Spanish claims. And why, sir? why? He was bought,
sir, bought--body and soul--by the Ring!"

"And fwhot's the Ring?" asked his client sharply.