MAJOR TOBIAS CLUTTERBUCK COMES IN FOR A THOUSAND POUNDS.

John Girdlestone had frequently heard his son speak of the major in the
days when they had been intimate, and had always attributed some of the
young man's more obvious vices to the effects of this ungodly
companionship. He had also heard from Ezra a mangled version of the
interview and quarrel in the private room of Nelson's Restaurant.
Hence, as may be imagined, his feelings towards his visitor were far
from friendly, and he greeted him as he entered with the coldest of
possible bows. The major, however, was by no means abashed by this
chilling reception, but stumped forward with beaming face and his pudgy
hand outstretched, so that the other had no alternative but to shake it,
which he did very gingerly and reluctantly.

"And how are ye?" said the major, stepping back a pace or two, and
inspecting the merchant as though he were examining his points with the
intention of purchasing him. "Many's the time I've heard talk of ye.
It's a real treat to see ye. How are ye?" Pouncing upon the other's
unresponsive hand, he wrung it again with effusion.

"I am indebted to Providence for fairly good health, sir," John
Girdlestone answered coldly. "May I request you to take a seat?"

"That was what me friend Fagan was trying to do for twelve years, and
ruined himself over it in the ind. He put up at Murphytown in the
Conservative interest, and the divil a vote did he get, except one, and
that was a blind man who signed the wrong paper be mistake, Ha! ha!"
The major laughed boisterously at his own anecdote, and mopped his
forehead with his handkerchief.

The two men, as they stood opposite each other, were a strange contrast,
the one tall, grave, white, and emotionless, the other noisy and
pompous, with protuberant military chest and rubicund features.
They had one common characteristic, however. From under the shaggy
eyebrows of the merchant and the sparse light-coloured lashes of the
major there came the same keen, restless, shifting glance. Both were
crafty, and each was keenly on his guard against the other.

"I have heard of you from my son," the merchant said, motioning his
visitor to a chair. "You were, I believe, in the habit of meeting
together for the purpose of playing cards, billiards, and other such
games, which I by no means countenance myself, but to which my son is
unhappily somewhat addicted."

"You don't play yourself," said the major, i