his rooms."

"Marse Harry in a barber-shop!" said the old man with a silent
laugh. "Skuse me, sah," he added, with an apologetic mixture of
respect and dignity, "but fo' twenty years no man hez touched de
Kernel's chin but myself. When Marse Harry hez to go to a barber's
shop, it won't make no matter who's dar."

"Let's hope he will not," said Paul gayly; then, anxious to evade
the gratitude which, since his munificence, he had seen beaming in
the old negro's eye and evidently trying to find polysyllabic and
elevated expression on his lips, he said hurriedly, "I shall expect
to find you with the colonel when I call again in a day or two,"
and smilingly departed.

At the end of two hours George's barber-employer returned to
relieve his assistant, and, on receiving from him an account and a
certain percentage of the afternoon's fees (minus the gift from
Paul), was informed by George that he should pretermit his
attendance for a few days. "Udder private and personal affairs,"
explained the old negro, who made no social distinction in his
vocabulary, "peroccupyin' dis niggah's time." The head barber,
unwilling to lose a really good assistant, endeavored to dissuade
him by the offer of increased emolument, but George was firm.

As he entered the sitting-room the colonel detected his step, and
called him in.

"Another time, George, never allow a guest of mine to send away
wine. If he don't care for it, put it on the sideboard."