His mind was a mass of confusion.

He hardly knew where he was or what he was doing.

Self-possession, in a measure, returned to him, and he said: "Ladies and gentlemen, these socks are from Mississippi.

I am from Virginia." This reference to the Mississippian was greeted by an even louder outburst of laughter.

Belton bowed and left the platform, murmuring that he would find and kill the rascal who had played that trick on him.