He had not relished the roughness with which the other had snatched the check from him, though making allowance for the natural annoyance of one who had been betrayed into a mortifying mistake.
"All the better, all the better.

Seldom do myself, but sometimes--Have a cigar?
No?
Well, I must toddle along!" It may here be mentioned that during his moment of impulsive vexation Mr.Britt had inconsiderately substituted for the "Commercial" check another, precisely similar save for the important particular that it lacked the Mendenhall indorsement.

The original had slipped between the leaves of Britt's check book, under cover of his large hands.
Those hands were most expert in various amusing and adroit feats of legerdemain, though Mr.Britt's modesty led him to a becoming, if unusual, reticence in this regard.

The substitute, as we have seen, was in the waste-basket.
Just before three Britt ran heavily up the steps of the First National, puffing down the corridor, cocking a hasty eye at the clock as he came.
"Hey, there, sonny! I was almost too late, wasn't I ?" was his irreverent greeting to the cashier.

"Time to cash this before closing up ?" he demanded breathlessly, but with unabated cheerfulness.