“Now, colonel, major,—­or whatever they dubbed ye, in the way of a title,” says one, putting his hand to his hat with a swaggering bow; “just stop that ar’ sort a’ nonsense, and pay over this ’ere little affair afore we gets into polite etiquette and such things.  When, to make the expenses, ye comes into a place like ours, and runs up a credit score,—­when ye gets so lofty that ye can’t tell fifty from five, we puts a sealer on, so customers don’t forget in the morning.”  The modest gentleman presents to M’Carstrow’s astonished eyes a note for twenty-seven hundred dollars, with the genuine signature.  M’Carstrow takes it in his hand, stares at it, turns it over and over.  The signature is his; but he is undecided about the manner of its getting there, and begins to give expression to some doubt.

The gentleman watches M’Carstrow very cautiously.  “Straight! colonel-he says-just turn out the shiners, or, to ’commodate, we’ll let ye off with a sprinkling of niggers.”

The colonel puts the fore-finger of his left hand to his lips, and, with serious countenance, walks twice or thrice across the hall, as if consulting his dignity:  “Shell out the niggers first; we’ll take the dignity part a’ter,” he concludes.

“I demand to know how you came in my house,” interrupts the colonel, impatiently.  He finds himself in very bad company; company southern gentlemen never acknowledge by daylight.

“We brought you here!  Anything else you’d like to know?” is the cool, sneering response.  The gentleman will take a pinch of snuff; he draws his fancy box from his pocket, gives the cover a polite rap with his finger, invites the enraged M’Carstrow to “take.”  That gentleman shakes his head,—­declines.  He is turning the whole affair over in his head, seems taking it into serious consideration.  Seriously, he accepted their accommodation, and now finds himself compelled to endure their painful presence.

“I, I, I-m, rather in doubt,” stammers M’Carstrow, fingering the little obligation again, turning it over and over, rubbing his eyes, applying his glass.  He sees nothing in the signature to dispute.  “I must stop this kind of fishing,” he says; “don’t do.  It ’s just what friend Scranton would call very bad philosophy.  Gentlemen, suppose you sit down; we’d better consider this matter a little.  Han’t got a dime in the bank, just now.”  M’Carstrow is becoming more quiet, takes a philosophical view of the matter, affects more suavity.  Calling loudly for the negro servant, that personage presents herself, and is ordered to bring chairs to provide accommodation for the gentlemen, in the hall.