"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.
"The Ring is--ahem! a combination of unprincipled but wealthy persons to
defeat the ends of justice."
"And sure, fwhot's the Ring to do wid me grant as that thaving Mexican
gave me as the collatherals for the bourd he was owin' me? Eh, mind that
now!"
"The Ring, my dear sir, is the other side.
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