tle promiscuous. If he ain't _here_.
it's because he's _there!_ You understand?"

"I cannot say very confidently that I do understand," said Ogden,
slowly.

"It was well as you was n't a practisin' lawyer, Britisher, for you
ain't smart! that's a fact No, sir; you ain't smart!"

"Your countrymen's estimate of that quality has a high standard, sir,"
said Ogden, haughtily.

"What do you mean by my countrymen?" asked the other, quickly.

"I ventured to presume that you were an American," said Ogden, with a
supercilious smile.

"Well, stranger, you were main right; though darn me con-siderable if
I know how you discovered it. Don't you be a-goin', now that we 're
gettin' friendly together. Set down a bit. Maybe you 'd taste a morsel
of something."

"Excuse me, I have just dined."

"Well, mix a summut in your glass. It's a rare pleasure to me, stranger,
to have a chat with a man as talks like a Christian. I'm tired of 'Come
si fa,'--that's a fact, sir."

"I regret that I cannot profit by your polite invitation," said Ogden,
bowing stiffly. "I had been directed to this house as the residence of
Lord Agincourt and his tutor; and as neither of them live here--"

"Who told you that? There's one of them a-bed in that room there; he's
caught swamp-fever, and it's gone up to the head. He's the tutor,--poor
fellow."

"And the Marquis?"

"The Marquis! he's a small parcel to have such a big direction on him,
ain't he? He's at a villa, a few miles off; but he 'll be over here
to-morrow morning."

"You are quite sure of that?" asked Ogden.

"Yes, sir," said Quackinboss, drinking off his glass, and nodding, in
token of salutation.

"I must beg you to accept my excuses for this intrusion on my part,"
began Ogden.

"Jest set you down there again; there's a point I 'd like to be cleared
up about I 'm sure you 'll not refuse me. Jest set down."

Ogden resumed his seat, although with an air and manner of no small
disinclination.

"No wine, thank you. Excuse me," said he, stiffly, as Quackinboss tried
to fill his glass.

"You remarked awhile ago," said Quackinboss, slowly, and like a man
weighing all his words, "that I was an American born. Now, sir, it ain't
a very likely thing that any man who was ever raised in the States is
goin' to deny it. It ain't, I say, very probable as he 'd say I'm a
Chinese, or a Mexican, or a Spaniard; no, nor a Britisher. Whatever we
do in this life, stranger, one thing, I suppose, is p