You'll be sorry for this." So saying, he took up his bag, and with the best swagger he could assume slunk from the room.
"See--stay here, young man," said the Mayor excitedly; "there's something else." But he was gone.

The outer door slammed to and his footsteps died gradually away down the street.
Mr Armstrong and the stranger exchanged glances in silence.

Then the Mayor turned to Mr Armstrong with a stern face.
"Seems to me, sir," said he, "that if that young man's the knave, you're uncommon like the fool.

You'll excuse me mentioning it after the service you have just rendered to the cause of veracity, but it's a solemn fact." "I have heard the same opinion expressed by other authorities, and I have no doubt it is true.

You mean to tell me I should have extorted from him a written recantation of his claim ?" "That's so; you guess right.