ically drunk, for he had himself in
perfect physical control; but his was the soul-exhilaration which comes
of the juice of the grape. His voice was raised the least bit and
joyous, and his tongue made quick and witty--just in the unstable
condition when vices and virtues are prone to extravagant expression.

As he raised his glass, the man next to him accidentally jostled his
arm. He shook the wine from his sleeve and spoke his mind. It was not
a nice word, but one customarily calculated to rouse the fighting
blood. And the other man's blood roused, for his fist landed under the
wolf-skin cap with force sufficient to drive its owner back against
Corliss. The insulted man followed up his attack swiftly. The women
slipped away, leaving a free field for the men, some of whom were for
crowding in, and some for giving room and fair play.

The wolf-skin cap did not put up a fight or try to meet the wrath he
had invoked, but, with his hands shielding his face, strove to retreat.
The crowd called upon him to stand up and fight. He nerved himself to
the attempt, but weakened as the man closed in on him, and dodged away.

"Let him alone. He deserves it," the colonel called to Vance as he
showed signs of interfering. "He won't fight. If he did, I think I
could almost forgive him."

"But I can't see him pummelled," Vance objected. "If he would only
stand up, it wouldn't seem so brutal."

The blood was streaming from his nose and from a slight cut over one
eye, when Corliss sprang between. He attempted to hold the two men
apart, but pressing too hard against the truculent individual,
overbalanced him and threw him to the floor. Every man has friends in
a bar-room fight, and before Vance knew what was taking place he was
staggered by a blow from a chum of the man he had downed. Del Bishop,
who had edged in, let drive promptly at the man who had attacked his
employer, and the fight became general. The crowd took sides on the
moment and went at it.

Colonel Trethaway forgot that the heats of life had passed, and
swinging a three-legged stool, danced nimbly into the fray. A couple
of mounted police, on liberty, joined him, and with half a dozen others
safeguarded the man with the wolf-skin cap.

Fierce though it was, and noisy, it was purely a local disturbance. At
the far end of the bar the barkeepers still dispensed drinks, and in
the next room the music was on and the dancers afoot. The gamblers
continued