324 A TRIAL FOR MR. MERRY. 



world phrases it, and the official receiver wrote to me 

 demanding payment for the whisky. I replied that 

 it was not my usual custom to pay for things for 

 which I held the receipt, and that I saw no reason to 

 depart from the rule on this occasion. With all his 

 faults, I do not for a moment believe that Norman 

 intended that [ should pay for the whisky ; but that 

 he had simply neglected to strike it off his books. 

 Nevertheless, I should have been liable if I had not 

 taken the precaution to ask for a receipt. The need 

 to have a receipt and to keep it has been impressed 

 upon me again and again by my experience in 

 transactions covering many years. 



Lastly, I may give an illustration which will better 

 describe the man than anything I can say. Card- 

 playing is not the only amusement by which one may 

 win or lose money in railway travelling, either with 

 friends or strangers. Once, whilst travelling" to 

 Doncaster races, Buchanan hit upon an ingenious 

 scheme for adding to his revenues. Soon after leaving 

 King's Cross Station, he carefully counted the number 

 of the several cords or fringe forming the tassel at the 

 end of the sash by which the carriage window was 

 drawn up ; and, on arriving at the first stoppage, he 

 left the carriage for refreshments. A gentleman who 

 had been watching his movements, and suspected his 

 intentions, in his absence did the same, and, like him, 

 left for the refreshment-rooms. They returned to- 

 gether to their respective seats. Norman soon began 



