others
as evidence of their spuriousness. My friend, without a moment's
hesitation, informed the landlord that the note was a bad one, expressing
at the time a great wish to see the Quaker gentleman who wanted to have
it changed. 'That you can easily do,' said the landlord, and forthwith
conducted him into the common room, where he saw a respectable-looking
man, dressed like a Quaker, and seemingly about sixty years of age.

"My friend, after a short apology, showed him the note which he held in
his hand, stating that he had no doubt it was a spurious one, and begged
to be informed where he had taken it, adding, that a particular friend of
his was at present in trouble, owing to his having taken similar notes
from a stranger at Horncastle; but that he hoped that he, the Quaker,
could give information by means of which the guilty party or parties,
could be arrested. At the mention of Horncastle, it appeared to my
friend that the Quaker gave a slight start. At the conclusion of this
speech, however, he answered, with great tranquillity, that he had
received it in the way of business at . . .--naming one of the principal
towns in Yorkshire--from a very respectable person, whose name he was
perfectly willing to communicate, and likewise his own, which he said was
James, and that he was a merchant residing at Liverpool; that he would
write to his friend at . . ., requesting him to make inquiries on the
subject; that just at that moment he was in a hurry to depart, having
some particular business at a town about ten miles off, to go to which he
had bespoken a post-chaise of the landlord; that with respect to the
note, it was doubtless a very disagreeable thing to have a suspicious one
in his possession, but that it would make little difference to him, as he
had plenty of other money, and thereupon he pulled out a purse containing
various other notes and some gold, observing 'that his only motive for
wishing to change the other note was a desire to be well provided with
change;' and finally, that if they had any suspicion with respect to him,
he was perfectly willing to leave the note in their possession till he
should return, which he intended to do in about a fortnight. There was
so much plausibility in the speech of the Quaker, and his appearance and
behaviour were so perfectly respectable, that my friend felt almost
ashamed of the suspicion which at first he had entertained of him,
though, at the same time, he felt an