for all that, subject to legal restraints.  Your claim will be valid against it.  You may have to play nicely over some intricate legal points.  But, remember, nigger law is wonderfully elastic; it requires superhuman wisdom to unravel its social and political intricacies, and when I view it through the horoscope of an indefinite future it makes my very head ache.  You may, however, let your claim revert to another, and traverse the case until such time as you can procure reliable proof to convict.”  Mr. Scranton asserts this as the force of his legal and constitutional acumen.  He addresses himself to a mercantile-looking gentleman who sits at the opposite side of the table, attentively listening.  He is one of several of Marston’s creditors, who sit at the table; they have attached certain property, and having some doubts of overthrowing Marston’s plea of freedom, which he has intimated his intention to enter, have called in the valuable aid of Romescos.  That indomitable individual, however, has more interests than one to serve, and is playing his cards with great “diplomatic skill.”  Indeed, he often remarks that his wonderful diplomatic skill would have been a great acquisition to the federal government, inasmuch as it would have facilitated all its Southern American projects.

The point in question at present, and which they must get over, in order to prove the property, is made more difficult by the doubt in which the origin of Clotilda has always been involved.  Many are the surmises about her parentage-many are the assertions that she is not of negro extraction—­she has no one feature indicating it—­but no one can positively assert where she came from; in a word, no one dare!  Hence is constituted the ground for fearing the issue of Marston’s notice of freedom.

“Well!  I’ll own it puzzles my cunnin’; there’s a way to get round it-there is-but deuced if ’tain’t too much for my noddle,” Romescos interposes, taking a little more whiskey, and seeming quite indifferent about the whole affair.  “Suppose-Marston-comes-forward! yes, and brings somebody to swear as a kind a’ sideways?  That’ll be a poser in asserting their freedom; it’ll saddle you creditors with the burden of proof.  There’ll be the rub; and ye can’t plead a right to enjoin the schedule he files in bankruptcy unless ye show how they were purchased by him.  Perchance on some legal uncertainty it might be done,—­by your producing proof that he had made an admission, anterior to the levy, of their being purchased by him,” Romescos continues, very wisely appealing to his learned and constitutional friend, Mr. Scranton, who yields his assent by adding that the remarks are very legal, and contain truths worth considering, inasmuch as they involve great principles of popular government.  “I think our worthy friend has a clear idea of the points,” Mr. Scranton concludes.