shoulders in a deprecatory gesture, walked over to the table, and
lifted up a glass of ram.

"I remarked before that I was quite comfortable here," he replied after a
moment's pause. "I may add that I am amused. Since I have returned to the
ancestral roof, and looked again at the portraits of my family, I have
had many callers to entertain me. Two have tried to rob me. One has
threatened me with death. And now six come, and threaten me with tar and
feathers. Positively, it is too diverting to leave. Pray don't interrupt
me, Captain Tracy. In a moment you shall have the floor."

He took a sip from his rum glass, watching them over the brim. And then
he continued, slowly and coldly, yet turning every period with a
perfect courtesy:

"There is one thing, only one, that you and all my other callers appear
to have overlooked. You fail for some reason to realize that I do things
only of my own volition. It is eccentric, I know, but we all have our
failings."

He paused to place his glass daintily on the table, and straightened the
lace at his wrist with careful solicitude.

"Once before this morning I have stated that I am not particularly afraid
of anything. Strange as it may seem, this statement still applies. Or put
it this way,--I have grown blase. People have threatened me too often.
No, gentlemen, you are going to lose your trading privileges, I think.
And I am going to remain in my house quite as long as I choose."

"Which will be one hour," said Major Proctor.