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upholstered in peg…top； checker…board trousers； bob…tail Piccadilly coat； and a one…inch brim straw hat； all of the latest English pattern。 Everything； in fact； that Billy possessed was English； from a rimless monocle decorating his left eye； down to the animated door…mat of a skye…terrier that followed at his heels。
Oliver saw from the way in which McTavish leaned over the table； protecting the tray with his two arms； that he was in command of the decanter； and that the duty of alleviating the thirst of his companions had devolved upon the General。 Billy Talbot sat with his hat tipped back on his head； his chin resting on his abbreviated cane； his eyes fixed on Gunning。 Both McTavish and Talbot were listening intently to the cross…country rider's story。
〃And you say you were sober； Gunning？〃 Oliver heard the General ask； with a scrutinizing look at Tom。 Not with any humorous intentmore with the manner of a presiding officer at a court…martial； determined to establish certain essential facts。
〃As a clock； General。 The first thing I knew the mare shied and I came pretty near landin' in the dirt。〃 （The lower county men always dropped their g's。） 〃He was lyin'； I tell you； right across the road。 If it hadn't been for Kitty； I would have run him down。 I got out and held onto the reins； and there he was； sir； stretched out as drunk as a lord； flat on his back and sound asleep。 I saw right away that he was a gentleman； and I tied the mare to a tree； picked him up with the greatest care； laid him on the side of the road； put his hat under his head； and made him as comfortable as I could； when； by George； sir！ I hadn't any more than got back to my buggy； when bang！ went a ball within a foot of my head！〃
The General； who； as he listened； had been repointing the waxed ends of his dyed mustache with his lemon…colored kid gloves； now leaned back in his chair。
〃Fired at you； sir？〃 The General had served both at Chapultepec and Buena Vista； and was an authority where gunpowder was concerned。
〃That's just what he did。 Came near takin' the top of my head off！ Hadn't been so dark he would have done it。〃
〃Good God！ you don't tell me so！〃 exclaimed the General； mopping his lips with his perfumed handkerchief。 〃Were you armed； Gunning？〃
〃No； sir； I was entirely at his mercy and absolutely defenceless。 Well； I grabbed the reins to quiet the mare and then I hollered out'What the devil do you mean； sir； by tryin' to blow the top of my head off？' I could see now that he had raised himself up on his elbow and was lookin' at me in a way I did not like。
〃'What do you mean by disturbin' my rest； sir；' he called back。
〃'Well； but my dear sir； you were lyin' in the middle of the road and might have been run over。'
〃'It's none of your business where I lie；' he hollered back。 'I go to sleep where I damn please； sir。 I consider it a very great liberty。'
〃'I； beg your pardon； sir；' I said。 'I did not intend any trespass' I was walkin' toward him now。 I did not want him to shoot again。
〃'That's sufficient； sir；' he said。 'No gentleman can do more。 There's my hand； sir。 Allow me； sir； to offer you a drink。 If you will roll me over； you will find my flask in my coat…tail pocket。'
〃Well； I rolled him over； took a drink； and then I brought the mare alongside； helped him in and drove him home to my house。 He was a most delightful gentleman。 Didn't leave my place until four o'clock in the mornin'。 He lives about fifteen miles below me。 He told me his name was Toffington。 Do you happen to know him； Talbot？〃 said Gunning； turning to Billy。
〃Toffington； Toffington；〃 said Billy； dropping his eye…glasses with a movement of his eyebrows。 He had listened to the story without the slightest comment。 〃No； Tom； unless he is one of those upper county men。 There was a fellow I met in London last year〃 （Billy pronounced it 〃larst yarh；〃 to Oliver's infinite amusement） 〃with some such name as that。 He and I went over to Kew Gardens with the Duke of。〃
Gunning instantly turned around with an impatient gesturenobody ever listened to one of Billy's London stories； they being the never…ending jokes around Kennedy Squarefaced the General again； much to Oliver's regret； who would have loved above all things to hear Billy descant on his English experiences。
〃Do you； General； know anybody named Toffington？〃 asked Tom。
〃No； Gunningbut here comes Clayton； he knows everybody in the State that is worth knowing。 What you have told me is most extraordinarymost extraordinary； Gunning。 It only goes to show how necessary it is for every man to be prepared for emergencies of this kind。 You should never go unarmed； sir。 You had a very narrow escapea very narrow escape； Gunning。 Here； Claytoncome over here。〃
Oliver pulled his face into long lines。 The picture of Gunning taking a drink with a man who a moment before had tried to blow the top of his head off； and the serious way in which the coterie about the table regarded the incident； so excited the boy's risibles that he would have laughed outright had not his eye rested on the Colonel walking toward him。
The Colonel； evidently； did not hear McTavish's call。 His mind was occupied with something much more important。 He had been finishing a game of whist upstairs； and the mahogany…colored Cerberus had not dared to disturb him until the hand was played out。 The fact that young Oliver Horn had called to see him at such an hour and in such a place had greatly disturbed him。 He felt sure that something out of the ordinary had happened。
〃My dear boy；〃 he cried； as Oliver rose to meet him； 〃I have this instant heard you were here； or I never should have kept you waiting a moment。 Nothing seriousnothing at home？〃
〃Oh； no； Colonel。 Only a word from mother； sir。 I missed you at the bank and Mr。 Stiger thought that I might better come here；〃 and he delivered his mother's message in a low voice and resumed his seat again。
The Colonel； now that his mind was at rest； dropped into a chair； stroked his goatee with his thumb and forefinger； and ran over in his mind the sum of his engagements。
〃Tell your dear mother；〃 he said； 〃that I will do myself the honor of calling upon her on my way home late this afternoon。 Nothing will give me greater pleasure。 Now stay awhile with me and let me order something for you； my boy；〃 and he beckoned to one of the brown…coated servants who had entered the room with a fresh tray for the Gunning table。
〃No； thank you； Colonel； I ought not to stop；〃 Oliver replied； in an apologetic way； as he rose from his seat。 〃I really ought to go back and tell mother；〃 and with a grasp of Clayton's hand and a bow to one or two men in the room who were watching his movements the Colonel following him to the outer door Oliver took himself off； as was the duty of one so young and so entirely out of place among a collection of men all so knowing and distinguished。
CHAPTER VI
AMOS COBB'S ADVICE
In full justice to the Chesapeake Club the scribe must admit that such light…weights as Billy Talbot； Torn Gunning； and Carter Thorn did not fairly represent the standing of the organization。 Many of the most cultivated and enlightened men about Kennedy Square and the neighboring country enjoyed its privileges； among them not only such men as Richard Horn； Nathan Gill； the Chief…Justice of the State； and those members of the State Legislature whose birth was above reproach； but most of the sporting gentry of the county； as well as many of the more wealthy planters who lived on the Bay and whose houses were opened to their fellow…members when the ducks were flying。
Each man's lineage； occupation； and opinions on the leading topics of the time were as well known to the club as to the man himself。 Any new…corner presenting himself for membership was always subjected to the severest scrutiny； and had to be favorably passed upon by a large majority of the committee before a sufficient number of votes could be secured for his election。
The only outsider elected for years had been Amos Cobb； of Vermont； the abolitionist； as he was generally called； who invariably wore black broad… cloth and whose clean…shaven facea marked contrast to the otherswith its restless black eyes； strong nose； and firm mouth； was as sharp and hard as the rocks of his native State。 His election to full membership of the Chesapeake Club was not due to his wealth and commercial standingneither of these would have availed himbut to the fact that he had married a daughter of Judge Wharton of Wharton Hall； and had thus； by reason of his alliance with one of the first families of the State； been admitted to all the social privileges of Kennedy Square。 This exception in his favor； however； had never crippled Cobb's independence nor stifled his fearlessness in expressing his views on any one of the leading topics of the day。 The Vermonter had worked with his hands when a boy on his father's farm； and believed in the dignity of labor and the blessings of self…support。 He believed； too； in the freedom of all men； black and white； and looked upon slavery as a crime。 He expressed these sentiments openly and unreservedly； and declared that no matter how long he might live South he would never c