on and Boone and the like. Ay, and his
intimates, the Randolphs and the Popes and the Colfaxes in Virginia.
'Twas then I asked him if he knew Colonel Campbell of Abingdon."

"And what deviltry was that?" demanded the Colonel, as he dipped himself
more of the toddy.

"I'll come to it, sir. Yes, Colonel Campbell was his intimate, and
ranted if he did not tarry a week with him at Abingdon on his journeys.
After that he follows me to the cabin, and sees Polly Ann and Tom and the
children on the floor poking a 'possum. 'Ah,' says he, in his softest
voice, 'a pleasant family scene. And this is Mr. McChesney?' 'I'm your
man,' says Tom. Then he praised the mill site and the land all over
again. 'Tis good enough for a farmer,' says Tom. 'Who holds under
Henderson's grant,' I cried. 'Twas that you wished to say an hour
ago,' and I saw I had caught him fair."

"By the eternal!" cried Colonel Clark, bringing down his fist upon the
table. "And what then?"

I glanced at Major Colfax, but for the life of me I could make nothing of
his look.

"And what did your man say?" said Colonel Clark.

"He called on the devil to bite me, sir," I answered. The Colonel put
down his gourd and began to laugh. The Major was looking at me fixedly.

"And what then?" said the Colonel.

"It was then Polly Ann called him a thief to take away the land Tom had
fought for and paid for and tilled. The man was all politeness once
more, said that the matter was unfortunate, and that a new and good title
might be had for a few skins."

"He said that?" interrupted Major Colfax, half rising in his chair. "He
was a damned scoundrel."

"So I thought, sir," I answered.

"The devil you did!" said the Major.

"Tut, Colfax," said the Colonel, pulling him by the sleeve of his
greatcoat, "sit down and let the lad finish. And then?"

"Mr. Boone had told me of a land agent who had made off with Colonel
Campbell's silver spoons from Abingdon, and how the Colonel had ridden
east and west after him for a week with a rope hanging on his saddle. I
began to tell this story, and instead of the description of Mr. Boone's
man, I put in that of Mr. Potts,--in height some five feet nine, spare,
of sallow complexion and a green greatcoat."

Major Colfax leaped up in his chair.

"Great Jehovah!" he shouted, "you described the wrong man."

Colonel Clark roared with laughter, thereby spilling some of his toddy.

"I'll warrant he did so," he cried; "and I'll warrant you