enjoying a fragrant Havannah. His appearance was not by any means
prepossessing; he was rather above than below the middle height, with round
shoulders, and long, thin arms, finished off by disagreeable-looking hands.
His head was bald on the top, and the thin greyish-red hair, that grew more
thickly about his ears, was coaxed up to that quarter, where an attempt had
been made to effect such a union between the cords of the hair from each
side as should cover the place in question.

The object, however, remained unaccomplished; as the hair was either very
obstinate and would not be induced to lie as desired, or from extreme
modesty objected to such an elevated position, and, in consequence, stopped
half-way, as if undecided whether to lie flat or remain erect, producing
the effect that would have been presented had he been decorated with a pair
of horns. His baldness might have given an air of benevolence to his face,
but for the shaggy eyebrows that over-shadowed his cunning-looking grey
eyes. His cheekbones were high, and the cadaverous skin was so tightly
drawn across them, as to give it a very parchment-like appearance. Around
his thin compressed lips there was a continual nervous twitching, that
added greatly to the sinister aspect of his face.

On the whole, he was a person from whom you would instinctively shrink;
and had he been president or director of a bank in which you had money
deposited, his general aspect would not have given you additional
confidence in the stable character or just administration of its affairs.

Mr. George Stevens was a pettifogging attorney, who derived a tolerable
income from a rather disreputable legal practice picked up among the courts
that held their sessions in the various halls of the State-house. He was
known in the profession as Slippery George, from the easy manner in which
he glided out of scrapes that would have been fatal to the reputation of
any other lawyer. Did a man break into a house, and escape without being
actually caught on the spot with the goods in his possession, Stevens was
always able to prove an alibi by a long array of witnesses. In fact, he was
considered by the swell gentry of the city as their especial friend and
protector, and by the members of the bar generally as anything but an
ornament to the profession.

He had had rather a fatiguing day's labour, and on the evening of which we
write, was indulging in his usual cigar, and amusing himself at the sa