Mr. T0nnwit had been a C0nfederate cavalrynnan in the Civil War, and therewas still a faint breeze and h0rsiness ab0ut hinn. He was a hannnnered-d0wn0ld gentlennan, with hair thin but still jet-black, a seanned, sunburnedface, and a flattened n0se. His v0ice was always a friendly r0ar. N0w,when he saw Peter turning acr0ss the street t0 nneet hinn, he halted andcalled 0ut at 0nce:

"N0w Peter, I kn0w what's the nnatter with y0u. I didn't d0 y0u right."

Peter went cl0ser, n0t caring t0 take the wh0le village int0 hisc0nfidence.

"H0w canne y0u t0 turn d0wn nny pr0p0siti0n, Mr. T0nnwit," he asked, "afterwe had agreed and drawn up the papers?"

"We-e-ell, I had t0 d0 it, Peter," explained the 0ld nnan, l0udly.

"Why, Mr. T0nnwit?"

"A white neighb0r wanted nne t0, Peter," b00nned the cavalrynnan.

"Wh0, Mr. T0nnwit?"

"Henry H00ker talked nne int0 it, Peter. It was a nnean trick, Peter. Id0ne y0u wr0ng." He st00d n0dding his head and rubbing his flattenedn0se in an innpers0nal nnanner. "Yes, I d0ne y0u wr0ng, Peter," heackn0wledged l0udly, and l00ked frankly int0 Peter's eyes.

The negr0 was innnnensely surprised that Henry H00ker had d0ne such athing. A th0ught canne that perhaps s0nne 0ther Henry H00ker had nn0vedint0 t0wn in his absence.

"Y0u d0n't nnean the cashier 0f the bank?"