s too much for the top glass of
the case, and with a sharp crack it broke into half a dozen pieces.

"Hullo! dat glass dun gone and got broke!" cried one of the negroes.
"I wonder how dat happened?"

"You broke that glass!" exclaimed Matt sharply. "You and your
companion."

"Me?" returned the offender in pretended surprise.

"Yes, you--and your friend."

"Dat ain't so at all, boss! We didn't touch dat yere glass. Did we,
Jeff?"

"'Deed we didn't, Tooker."

"We didn't come in here to do no kind ob damage, boss."

"Never mind what you came in for," returned Matt. "You broke the glass
and you will have to pay for it."

At the young auctioneer's statement the faces of all four of the
colored men took on a savage look. They had drifted in to do pretty
much as they pleased, and had not expected to meet with such strong
and sudden opposition.

"I won't pay for nuffin!" growled the ringleader of the quartet. "I
dun reckon somebody else in the crowd broke the glass."

"Cos da did," replied another of the colored men. "Maybe yo' think yo'
kin lay it on us just because we is colored, hey?"

"Not at all; a colored man can be as much of a gentleman as any
one--if he wishes to be," put in Andy.

"Do youse mean to insinuate dat we ain't gen'men?" questioned one of
the crowd roughly.

"You are not gentlemen when you break glass and refuse to pay for it,"
returned Andy. "That glass is worth at least a dollar, and unless it
is paid for, somebody will be handed over to the police."

"Huh! do yo' fink yo' kin scare us, boss?"

"Yo' say another word an' we'll do up de hull place!"

"We is as good as any white trash, remember dat!"

In the meantime one of the colored men slid his hand into the
show-case which had been damaged, and essayed to grab a small box of
watch-chains which rested close by. Matt saw the movement, slick as it
was, just in time, and springing forward he caught the colored man by
the arm.

"Drop that box!" he cried sternly.

"Oh, I wasn't gwine to take de box," returned the would-be offender.
"I was jess gwine to look at yo' stock. How much is dem chains
worth?"

"I am not selling chains to you to-night," returned Matt.

He had hardly spoken when Andy leaned over his shoulder and whispered
into his ear:

"Talk to them for a few minutes, and I'll slip out and notify the
police. Treat them well until I get back."

And the next instant Matt's partner had disappeared into the crowd,
without a