sure look it! Never seen a fatter eye--"

"Well, what you got t' beef about?"

"Nothin', Bud, only--"

"Only what?"

"It's kind o' tough you losin' them couple o' teeth--or is it three?"

M'Ginnis turned on him with a snarl. "A-r-r-, you--! Some day I'm goin'
t' kick the insides out o' ye!"

"Some day, Bud, sure. I'll be waitin'! Meantime why not get some
doctor-guy t' put ye face back in shape--gee, I hate t' see ye--you look
like a butcher's shop! An' them split lips pains some, I guess!"

Here, while M'Ginnis choked in impotent rage, Soapy lit a fresh
cigarette from the butt of the last and held out the packet.

"Try a coffin-nail, Bud? No? Well, I guess y' couldn't smoke good with a
mouth on ye like that."

"Who did it, Bud?" questioned Spike eagerly. "Who was it?"

"Hush up, Kid, hush up!" said Soapy, viewing M'Ginnis's cuts and bruises
with glistening eyes. "I guess that guy's layin' around somewheres
waitin' f'r th' coroner--Bud wouldn't let him make such a holy mess
of his face an' get away with it--not much! Bud's a killer, I know
that--don't I, Bud?"

"You close up that dog's head o' yours, Soapy, or by--"

"'S all right, Bud, 's all right. Don't get peeved; I'll close up
tighter 'n a clam, only--it's kinder tough about them teeth--"

"Are ye goin' t' cut it out or shall--"

"Aw, calm down, Bud, calm down! Take a drink; it'll do ye good." And
filling a glass with rye whisky, Soapy set it before M'Ginnis, who
cursed him, took it up, and turned to Spike.

"Fill it up, Kid," he commanded.

"Not me, Bud, I--I ain't here for that," said Spike. "I come t' tell ye
as some dirty guy's been an' blown th' game on me t' Hermy; she--she
knows everything, an' to-night she--drove me away from her--"

"Did she, Kid, oh, did she?" said M'Ginnis, a new note of eagerness in
his voice. "Drove ye out onto th' streets, Kid? That's dam' hard on
you!"

"Yes, Bud, I--guess she--don't want me around--"

"Kind o' looks that way!" nodded M'Ginnis, and filling Spike's glass,
he put it into the boy's unwilling fingers. "Take a drink, Kid; ye sure
need it!" said he.

"'S right," murmured Soapy, "told ye Bud 'ud comfort ye, didn't I, Kid?"

"So Hermy's drove ye away?" said M'Ginnis, "throwed ye out--eh?"

"She sure has, Bud, an' I--Oh, I'm miserable as hell!"

"Why, then, get some o' Bud's comfort into ye, Kid," murmured Soapy.
"Lap it up good, Kid; there's plenty more--in th' bottle!"

"Let him alone," growled