sourness was noticed by all, and they left him to himself, pretty
much as he had hoped to see them treat his rival. The tables were fairly
turned upon him, as he could not fail to see. But he had intimated that
if Fred attended this party, and matters went a certain way, he would
have his revenge.

He resolved to carry out this threat, and so passed a great part of the
evening in mischievous plotting.

When it was time for the party to break up, notwithstanding the fact
that he had behaved so rudely and had not participated in any of the
games, or other forms of amusement, he gathered himself together,
approached Miss Nellie, and proposed to serve as her escort.

But Nellie answered, with a demure look and a twinkle in her eye, that
another young gentleman had kindly offered to do her that favor.

It is said that under certain conditions even a straw may break a
camel's back, but this refusal of Nellie's was no straw to Matthew. It
was rather a sledge hammer blow, which brought bad temper and made him
desperately angry.

He seized his hat, and without further conversation with any one, left
the house and strode sullenly down the street. At the first corner he
turned up a by path, and then ran across lots to the main street, and
entered a drinking saloon.

"Why did you play, then?" the bartender was asking savagely, addressing
a rough looking boy, Tim Short by name. "You have owed me for two
months, and now here is another game of billiards to charge."

"I thought I should beat," said Tim, with a discouraged and demoralized
look.

"That's what you've thought every time, but that don't pay me. I'm going
to have my money now. If you don't pay, I will get it from your father;
so come, square up, and be quick about it."

"I will settle on pay day."

"No, that won't do; you have promised that before. Either give me
something for security or I will see your father tomorrow."

"How much is the whole bill?" asked Matthew.

"One dollar," replied the bartender.

"Here, Tim, is the dollar. I will lend it to you. Pay him and come with
me."

Young Short clutched the dollar eagerly, and turned it over to his
creditor with evident reluctance.

"Come, Tim," went on Matthew, "let us go home; it is late for us to be
out."

The latter looked upon Matthew as his benefactor, and followed him
promptly into the street. When the two were quite alone by themselves,
De Vere took his companion by the arm and said:

"I'm in