290 A DOUBTFUL COLONEL. 



as well as the jewelled rings on his 

 fingers, so that I did not long hesitate, 

 but said "certainly not, provided you can 

 give me a satisfactory reference." He 

 having named a gentleman, the son and 

 co-partner of an alderman of the City of 

 London, and an old friend of our family, 

 I readily assented. 



Accordingly the bill was drawn, signed, 

 and accepted, and the business was so 

 far settled. I took the bill, which I 

 carefully deposited in my cash-box, and 

 he took the horses. 



I thought nothing more of the matter 

 till about three weeks after, when I had 

 occasion to go to London, and, on en- 

 tering my father's breakfast-parlour, found 

 there the very gentleman I had been re- 

 ferred to. This incident naturally recalled 

 the individual to my mind, and I asked 

 him if he knew such a person as Colonel 

 Verity. 



" Yes," he said, " I do, and know him 



