It's respectable enough,
I guess. At any rate, he seemed to like it, and at his request,
for he was not always provided with money, I trusted him till his
bill comes to twenty-seven dollars----"
"You surely don't expect me to pay it!" said the squire, coldly.
"He is a minor, as you very well know, and when you trusted him
you knew you couldn't legally collect your claim."
"Well, squire, I thought I'd take my chances," said Tony,
carelessly. "I didn't think you'd be willing to have him owing
bills around the village. You're a gentleman, and I was sure
you'd settle the debt."
"Then, sir, you made a very great mistake. Such bills as that
I do not feel called upon to pay. Was it all incurred for billiards?"
"No; a part of it was for drinks."
"Worse and worse! How can you have the face to come here,
Mr. Denton, and tell me that?"
"I don't think it needs any face, squire. It's an honest debt."
"You deliberately entrapped my son, and lured him into your
saloon, where he met low companions, and squandered his money
and time in drinking and low amusements."
"Come, squire, you're a little too fast. Billiards ain't low.
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