“‘For what?’ he interrupted.
“‘As an offerin’ for my friend, suh.’
“‘What! As margin for Consolidated Smeltin’?’
“‘True, suh. They are, of co’se, largely in excess of yo’ needs, but Mr. Fitzpatrick is one of my dea’est friends. You, of co’se, realize that I am left penniless myself if my friend’s final obligation to you should exceed their face value.’
“He got up, opened the door of a safe and said, ‘Do you see that tin box?’
“‘I do, suh.’
“‘Do you know what is in it?’
“‘I do not, suh.’
“‘Full of stuff that will sell under the hammer above par. Tell Mr. Fitzpatrick if he and his customers have anythin’ like that to bring it in—and look here’—and he pulled out a small drawer. ‘See that watch?’ I looked in and saw a gold watch, evidently a gentleman’s, Major. ‘That watch belonged to a customer who got short of our stock last week. It’s wiped out now and a lot of other things he brought in. That’s what we call collateral down here.’
“‘I am not surprised, suh,’ I answered. ‘If men of yo’ class can fo’ce themselves into our county; divest a man of his silver-plate and family po’traits, as was done to a gentleman friend of mine of the highest standin’ in my own State by a Nawthern caarpet-bag Bank, I am not astonished that you avail yo’self of a customer’s watch.’ I said ‘divest’ and ‘avail,’ Major. I intended to say ‘steal’ and ‘rob’ but I checked myself in time.