Part 13 (1/2)

”Where is he?”

”I'll call hi the bell for one of the waiters, and sent that individual upstairs for the proprietor The waiter was gone nearly five minutes before he returned, accompanied by a short, stout man, with bushy black hair and a heavy beard

”Well, sir, what can I do for you?” asked the man of Matt

”If you are not too busy I would like to show you soood and very cheap,” returned Matt, as easily as he could, and without waiting for a reply he unrolled his package of samples, and placed them upon the desk

”And is that what you called me downstairs for?” cried the proprietor of the restaurant, in a rage ”Make ood hand at cards just to look at a lot of tin knives and forks! You peddlers are getting ht to sit down on every one of you!”

”I am sorry if I disturbed your leisure,” returned Matt, as ht you would just like to cheata lot of your trash,” finished the restaurant proprietor ”Well, you can't do anything of the kind, and you can take that for your ie of samples, the restaurant keeper walked to the open doorway and flung knives, forks and spoons into the utter!

CHAPTER XII

MATT STANDS UP FOR HIMSELF

It was evident, by the self-satisfied look upon the restaurant-keeper's face, that the hot-te in thus disposing of Matt's wares by throwing the bundle into the oods and skip out!” he cried, as he turned to the boy ”And the next ti to take it a little easy!”

For the instant Matt was stupefied, and stood still, hardlya muscle

Then the boy's natural temper arose to the surface, and for the moment he felt as if he must fly at the man and pound hirew first red and then deadly pale The e in his countenance, saw the fire flash in the boy's eyes, and stopped short just as he was about to repeat his injunction to leave the establish forith clinched fists

”What's that?” cried the restaurant-keeper, so loudly that several custoathered round to learn the cause of the trouble

”I say you are a brute!” repeated Matt, undaunted by the fierce look the restaurant-keeper had assumed ”If you did not wish to buy from me you could have said so There was no need for you to throw rowled the man ”I want no back talk froars and thieves?”

”I a still closer ”And I won't allow you nor any one else to say so”

”Oh, you won't?” sneered the man

”No, I won't,” answered Matt firmly ”My business is just as honest and honorable as yours, even though I may not et square”

”See here, are you going to get out, or ely than ever

For the ry, but kneould do hiood to lose his temper Yet he was not the person to allow the insults he had received to pass unnoticed

”I will get out just as soon as you restore ht whatever to throw theutter and soil them”

”What?”