“I hardly comprehend your meaning, Mr. Timms. The question is simply one of taking certain forces—allied forces, they may be called—from the field, and leaving you to contend only with the main enemy. There need be nothing said of a truce, since nothing further can be done until the court opens.”
“That may do very well, Williams, for those that haven’t practised in Duke’s as long as myself; but it will not do for me. There is an army of reporters here, at this moment; and I am afraid that the allies of whom you speak have whole corps of skirmishers.”
Williams maintained a countenance so unmoved that even the judicious Timms was a little shaken; while Dunscomb, who had all the reluctance of a gentleman to believe in an act of meanness, felt outraged by his associate’s suspicions.
“Come, come, Mr. Timms,” the last exclaimed, “I beg we may have no more of this. Mr. Williams has come with a proposition worthy of our consideration; let us meet it in the spirit in which it is offered.”
“Yes,” repeated Williams, with a look that might well have explained his sobriquet of ‘saucy;’ “yes[“yes], in the spirit in which it is offered. What do you say to that, Timms?”
“That I shall manage the defence precisely as if no such proposition had been made, or any negotiation accepted. You can do the same for the prosecution.”
“Agreed!” Williams rejoined, making a sweeping gesture with his hand, and immediately quitting the room.
Dunscomb was silent for a minute. A thread of smoke arose from the end of his segar; but the volume no longer poured from between his lips. He was ruminating too intensely even to smoke. Rising suddenly, he took his hat, and motioned towards the door.
“Timms, we must go to the gaol,” he said; “Mary Monson must be spoken to at once.”
“If Williams had made his proposition ten days ago, there might be some use in listening to it,” returned the junior, following the senior counsel from the room, carrying all the papers in the cause under an arm; “but, now that all the mischief is done, it would be throwing away five thousand dollars to listen to his proposition.”