He glanced up curiously as I approached, and spoke low, so as not to attract the attention of others.
"Pardner, is my credit good for two meals ?" I asked genially.

"I guess you 've seen me in here before--I drive for the Wooster Lumber Company." A night cashier in that neighborhood becomes early habituated to tales of hard luck.

It requires but a few lessons to render suspicion paramount.

The round-faced man, all geniality vanished, stared directly into my face.
"Oh, yes, I 've seen you before, I reckon," he acknowledged noncommitally.

"But that does n't necessarily mean we are ready to do a credit business.