t Geoff's goin' t' marry her."

"Marry her! What, him? A millionaire marry your sister? You think so,
an' she thinks so, but I know different!"

"But Hermy ain't that sort. Hermy's--good--"

"Sure, but this guy's got her fazed--she thinks he's square all
right--she'll trust him an' then--s'posin' he ain't?"

"I--I ain't s'posin' nothin' like that!" said Spike, gulping his
whisky.

"Well, s'posin' he's been meetin' her--in a wood--on the sly--eh?
S'posin' they been huggin' an' kissin'--"

"Say now--you cut that out--" stammered Spike, his voice thick. "I tell
ye--she ain't--that kind."

"S'posin'," continued Bud, refilling the lad's glass, "s'posin' I could
show 'em to ye in a wood--eh? Ah! What she want t' meet him in a wood
for, anyway--nice an' quiet, eh?"

"Say now, Bud, I--I ain't goin' t' listen t' no more!" said Spike,
rising and clutching at the table, "I--I'm goin' home!" And swaying on
unsteady feet, he turned to the door, but M'Ginnis gripped his shoulder.

"Wait a bit, Kid."

"N-no, I'm--goin' home--see!" said Spike, setting his jaw obstinately,
"I'm goin'--r-right now!"

"That's just what you ain't!" snarled M'Ginnis. "Sit down! Hermy's only
a work-girl--don't forget that, Kid--an' this guy's a millionaire. I
guess he thinks Hermy'll do--till he gets tired of her an'--then what?"

"He--told me he's goin' t' marry her!" said Spike slowly, speaking with
an effort, "an' I guess Geoff ain't a liar. An' I wanter--go home."

"Home--after she throwed ye out? Ain't ye got no pride?"

"Aw, say, Bud," sighed Soapy, "I guess d' Kid ain't soused enough for
pride yet; sling another glass int' him--that'll fix him good, I
reckon."

"I ain't g-goin' t' drink no more," said Spike, resting heavy head
between his hands, "I guess I'll b-beat it home, f'lers."

"Bud," suggested Soapy, "ain't it about time you rang in little Maggie
on him?"

M'Ginnis whirled upon the speaker, snarling, but Soapy, having lighted
another cigarette, nudged Spike with a sharp elbow.

"Kid," said he, "Bud's goin' t' remind ye of little Maggie Finlay--you
remember little Maggie as drowned herself." Spike lifted a pale face
and stared from the placid Soapy to scowling Bud and shrank away.

"Yes," he whispered hoarsely, "yes--I'll never forget how she
looked--pale, so pale an' still, an' th' water--runnin' out of her brown
curls--I--I'll never forget--"

"Well," growled M'Ginnis, "watch out Hermy don't end th' same way."

"No!