recognize me, and possibly place me under arrest. Not
successful in this, I looked for and found an officer, with whom I
managed to get into conversation, and was obliged to tell him plainly
who I was, before he would "take a tumble," as the saying is.
He then said he knew all about the trade, and was acquainted with the
men, and the circumstances of their offering the reward.
"Well, now," said I, "you arrest me, and we'll get the reward."
"But," said he, "the men you traded with have left town."
I asked if he knew why they had offered a reward for us.
He said it was because the Patentee had arrived on the scene the day
after our trade, and had remarked that Johnston had no authority to deed
away territory in his patent; for the reason that the Power of Attorney
had a clause in it which read as follows: "This Power of Attorney is
revocable in thirty days from the day it is given by the said Patentee."
They then concluded to try and arrest us, and if successful possibly
make us pay handsomely, or prosecute us.
This bit of information was relished by me, for I at once saw that the
Patentee had gotten things badly mixed. The clause he referred to, which
was the one mentioned in another chapter, read as follows: "This Power
of Attorney is revocable on thirty days' notice from the said Patentee."
Having satisfied myself, and several acquaintances of the men we had
dealt with, that we had not violated the law, I returned to Toledo,
where I met Frank, who had disposed of the carriage and harness.
He left me there; and one evening at the supper table I entered into
conversation with several gentlemen, one of whom related a few incidents
of his experience, when I also related my late experience in selling
copal varnish.
An old gentleman across the table from me then said that he had a recipe
for making a furniture and piano polish that was immense. He said it
would leave a beautiful hard lustre, was not sticky or gummy to the
fingers, and would remove all white stains from furniture, and become
perfectly dry in less than one minute from the time it was applied.
"Well, sir," I said, "I am looking for some thing of that kind, and----"
"Very well," he interrupted; "it will cost you twenty-five dollars."
I said: "I'll you five dollars before testing it."
"No, sir; not one dollar less than my price."
But he would make up a small bottle, and show me how it worked. He did
so, and I was at once convinced.
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