"Yes, Jeff-Jack got still anotheh bill brought in an' paassed. It give the three thousan' to Rosemont entieh, an' authorized the three counties to raise the fifteen hund'ed a year by county tax." The Captain laughed. "Silly trick," said the Englishman, grimly. "Why, the dahkeys got they fifteen hund'ed!" "Don't they claim twenty-two fifty?" "Well, they jess betteh not!" "Rascally trick!" "Sir," said John, "Mr. Ravenel is my personal friend. If you make another such comment on his actions I shall treat it as if made on mine." "Come, Come!" exclaimed Gamble, commandingly; "we can't have----" "You'll have whatever I give, sir!" Three or four men half rose, smiling excitedly, but sank down again. "You think, sir," insisted John, to the Englishman's calmly averted face, "that being in a free country--" he dashed off Shotwell's remonstrant hand. "'Tain't a free country at all," said the Briton to the outer landscape. "There's hardly a corner in Europe but's freer." "Ireland, for instance," sneered John. "Ireland be damned," responded the foreigner, still still looking out the window. "Go tell your nurse to give you some bread and butter." John leaped and swept the air with his open palm. Gamble's clutch half arrested it in front, Shotwell hindered it from behind, neither quite stopped it. "Did he slap him?" eagerly asked a dozen men standing on the seats. "He barely touched him," was the disappointed reply of one. "Thank the Lawd faw evm that little!" responded another. Shotwell pulled March away, Halliday following. Near the rear door---- "Johnnie," began the General, with an air of complete digression, but at the woebegone look that came into the young man's face, the old soldier burst into a laugh. John whisked around to the door and stood looking out, though seeing nothing, bitter in the thought that not for the Englishman's own sake, but for the sake of the British capital coveted by Suez, a gentleman and a Rosemonter was forbidden to pay him the price of his insolence. "I'd like to pass," presently said someone behind him. He started, and Gamble went by. "May I detain you a moment, sir?" said John. The president frowned. "What is it?" "In our passage of words just now--I was wrong." "Yes, you were. What of it?" "I regret it." "I can't use your regrets," said the railroad man. He moved to go. "If you want to see me about----" John smiled. "No, sir, I'd rather never set eyes on you again." As the Westerner's fat back passed into the farther coach his response came---- "What you want ain't manners, it's gumption." The door slammed for emphasis.