of that person and demand the price of all of them for the one that
remained, but invariably he put up his figure by 10 per cent. and
nothing would induce him to take off one farthing.

"What do _you_ want, sir?" he said grumpily. "Vests, hose, collars, or
socks?"

"Oh, socks, I think," I replied at hazard, thinking that they would
be easiest to carry, whereupon Mr. Potts produced some peculiarly
objectionable and shapeless woollen articles which he almost threw at
me, saying that they were all he had in stock. Now I detest woollen
socks and never wear them. Still, I made a purchase, thinking with
sympathy of my old gardener whose feet they would soon be scratching,
and while the parcel was being tied up, said in an insinuating voice,
"Anything fresh upstairs, Mr. Potts?"

"No, sir," he answered shortly, "at least, not much, and if there were
what's the use of showing them to you after the business about that
clock?"

"It was £15 you wanted for it, Mr. Potts?" I asked.

"No, sir, it was £17 and now it's 10 per cent. on to that; you can work
out the sum for yourself."

"Well, let's have another look at it, Mr. Potts," I replied humbly,
whereon with a grunt and a muttered injunction to Tom to mind the shop,
he led the way upstairs.

Now the house in which Mr. Potts dwelt had once been of considerable