said, "Sir, I called--" A.R.R. waved his hand.

"Gentlemen," said he, "I know why you called, and you will allow me to
remark--"

"But look here," said a tall man with a blue cravat. "I think that I am
the person you want to see, and as I am in a hurry, I would like to see
you for a few minutes in private."

Dozens of angry eyes were now directed upon this presumptuous
individual, and dozens of angry voices were about to break forth when
the benign A.R.R. again waved his hand.

"Gentlemen," said he, "I wish to see you all. No one more than another.
I have reason to believe that every one of you is the person to whom
that advertisement referred. I see you are all gentlemen, and you would
not have made your appearance here had you not fulfilled the conditions
mentioned in the paper."

Here was a smothered hum, which seemed to precede a general outbreak,
but A.R.R., blandly smiling, continued:

"Gentlemen, do not become impatient. What I have to say is to the
advantage of every one of you. You all move in good society--I can see
that--and you therefore are well aware of some of the penalties of
social pleasures and high living. Consequently, gentlemen," and now he
spoke very fast, as if fearful of interruption, "you must have, all of
you, experienced some of the evils of indigestion, and it is to relieve
these that I have prepared my Binocular Barberry Bitters--"