He had, in honor of the occasion so contrived that his black coat and trousers matched this time, while his shoestring tie had been replaced by a white cravat.

But the waistcoat was of the old pattern and the top button loose, as usual.

The Colonel earned his living--and a very comfortable one it was--by promoting various enterprises--some of them rather shady.

He had also a gift for both starting and maintaining a boom.

Most of the Mukton stock owned by the Southern contingent had been floated by him.