s eyes roamed about the
room, taking in the big mantel, the brass andirons, India blue china
and silver candlesticks.

"A mere trifle, suh," said the Colonel, stiffening. The cost of things
were never mentioned in this atmosphere. "To associate bargain and
sale with the appointments of yo' household is like puttin' yo'
hospitality up at auction," he would frequently say.

"A mere trifle, suh," he repeated. "My estates, as you probably know,
are in Virginia, near my ancestral town of Caartersville. Are you
familiar with that part of the country, suh?"

And thereupon, on the banker's expressing his entire ignorance of
Fairfax County and its contiguous surroundings, the Colonel, now that
his honor as a duellist had been satisfied by Klutchem's apologies;
his friend's ruin averted by the banker's generosity, as was attested
by his offering Fitz a barrel full of securities which the day
previous were worth their weight in gold; and especially because this
same philanthropist was his guest, at once launched forth on the
beauty of his section of the State. In glowing terms he described the
charms of the river Tench; the meadows knee-deep in clover; the
mountains filled with the riches of the Orient looming up into the
blue; the forests of hardwood, etc., etc., and all in so persuasive
and captivating a way that the practical banker, always on the lookout
for competent assistants, made a mental memorandum to consult Fitz in
the morning on the possibility of hiring the Colonel to work off an
issue of State bonds which at the moment were dead stock on his hands.

By this time Klutchem, warmed by his host's Madeira and cheery fire,
had not only become really interested in the man beside him, but had
lost to a certain extent something of his blunt Wall Street manner and
hard commercial way of looking at things. It was, therefore, not
surprising to either Fitz or myself, who had watched the gradual
adjustment of the two men, to hear the Colonel, who had now entirely
forgotten all animosity towards his enemy say to Klutchem with great
warmth of manner, and with the evident intention of not being outdone
in generosity at such a time:

"I would like to show you that gaarden, suh. Perhaps some time I may
have the pleasure of entertainin' you in my own home at
Caartersville."

Mr. Klutchem caught his breath. He saw the Colonel was perfectly
sincere, and yet he could not but admit the absurdity of the
situation. Invited to visit t