-one rarely
seen in him. "Yes--brutal, I know, Teackle, and perhaps a little
ill-mannered, this interfering with another man's hospitality, but if
you knew how Kate has suffered over this same stupidity you would say I
was right. Talbot never thinks--never cares. Because he's got a head as
steady as a town clock and can put away a bottle of port without winking
an eyelid, he believes anybody else can do the same. I tell you this
sort of thing has got to stop or sooner or later these young bloods
will break the hearts of half the girls in town.... Careful! here comes
Willits--not another word.... Oh, Mr. Willits, here you are! I was
just going to send for you. I want to talk to you about that mare of
yours--is she still for sale?" His nonchalance was delightful.

"No, Mr. Temple; I had thought of keeping her, sir," the young man
rejoined blandly, greatly flattered at having been specially singled out
by the distinguished Mr. Temple. "But if you are thinking of buying
my mare, I should be most delighted to consider it. If you will permit
me--I will call upon you in the morning." This last came with elaborate
effusiveness. "But you haven't a drop of anything to drink, Mr. Temple,
nor you either, doctor! Egad! What am I thinking of! Come, won't you
join me? The colonel's mixtures are--"

"Better wait, Mr. Willits," interrupted St. George calmly and with the
air of one conversant with the resources of the house. "Alec has just
taken out a half-emptied bowl of toddy." He had seen at a glance that
Teackle's diagnosis of the young man's condition was correct.

"Then let us have a swig at the colonel's port--it's the best in the
county."

"No, hold on till the punch comes. You young fellows don't know how to
take care of your stomachs. You ought to stick to your tipple as you do
to your sweetheart--you should only have one."

"--At a time," laughed Teackle.

"No, one ALL the time, you dog! When I was your age, Mr. Willits, if
I drank Madeira I continued to drink Madeira, not to mix it up with
everything on the table."

"By Jove, you're right, Mr. Temple! I'm sticking to one girl--Miss
Kate's my girl to-night. I'm going to dance the Virginia reel with her."

St. George eyed him steadily. He saw that the liquor had already reached
his head or he would not have spoken of Kate as he did. "Your choice is
most admirable, Mr. Willits," he said suavely, "but let Harry have Miss
Kate to-night," adding, as he laid his hand confid