a deal--ain't it?"

"No, Bob," said Richards, laughing; "your generosity is so truly
Alabamian, that I cannot make up my mind to accept it. For the present,
at least, I must keep my Virginian. It is my wife's saddle-horse."

"But Swiftfoot," replied Bob, in a cordial confidential
manner--"Swiftfoot is a famous trotter."

"It won't do, Bob," was the answer. "I should not dare show myself at
home without Caesar."

Bob bit his lips, a little vexed at not being able to make a deal; but
another half-pint of whisky, which he poured down as if it had been
spring water, seemed to restore him to good humour. Meanwhile my wet
clothes were beginning to hang heavy upon me, and to steam in the hot
atmosphere in which we were. Bob, who had already cast several
side-glances at me, now turned to Richards.

"And who may the mister be?" said he.

The mention of my name and condition, procured me a welcome that I could
willingly have dispensed with. After the shake of the hand with which
Bob favoured me, I looked at my finger-nails, to see if the blood was
not starting from under them. The fellow's hands were as hard and rough
as bear's paws.

"Very glad that you're come, boys," said Bob in a low confidential tone.
"I'm just makin' a try for the next Assembly; and it's always good, you
know, to have somebody to speak to one's character. How long is it,
Mister Richards, since I left Blairsville."

"Eight years," replied my friend.

"No, Harry," whispered the roadmaster; "may I be shot if it's more than
five."

"But," replied Richards, "I have been living five years by the
Mississippi, and you know"----

"Ah, nonsense!" interrupted Bob. "Five years--not an hour more. D'ye
understand?" added he cautiously--"five years, if you're asked."

The facts were thus. This respectable candidate for the representation
of his fellow-citizens, had made his escape from his previous residence,
the birthplace of Richards, on account of certain misdeeds, of which the
sheriff and constables had taken cognizance, and after wandering about
for a few years, had settled in Bainbridge county, where he seemed to
have thriven--as far, at least, as whisky and human weakness had allowed
him. We could hardly help laughing outright at the importance which Bob
thought proper to attribute to us before his companions, the independent
electors, whose votes he was desirous of securing. AEsculapius himself
was a mere quacksalver compared to Squire Richards, wh