'By Gassharamminy,' I said, 'I may be mad, but I'm sober! If it's a crime to desire to be English, then punish me, but let me first commit the offense!' So he laughed, and didn't question my witnesses very carefully--one was a Jew, the other an ex-German, and either of them would swear to anything at half price for a quantity--and they kissed the Book and committed perjury--and lo and behold, I was English as you are--English without troubling a midwife or the parson! Five pounds for the 'beak' at Bow Street--fifty for the witnesses--fifty-five all told--and cheap at the price! I had money in those days.

It was after our short war with Turkey.

We Greeks got beaten, but the Turks did not get all the loot! By prison and gallows, no! When our men ran before a battle, I did not run--not I! I remained, and by Croesus I grew richer in an hour than I have ever been since!" "That's two countries," said I.

"Which is the third that has the honor to claim your allegiance ?" "Honor is right!" he answered with a proud smile.

"I, Georges Coutlass, have honored three flags! I am a credit to all three countries! The third is America--the U.S.A.You might say that is the corollary of being English--the natural, logical, correct sequence! The U.S.laws are strict, but their politics were devised for--what is it the preachers call it--ah, yes, for straining out gnats and swallowing camels.