It's a merry life
you lead, LeGrand Blossom!"

"Stop!" the young man exclaimed. "I can't let you go on this way.
Minnie, please leave us for a moment. I'll come to you as soon as I
can."

"Oh, yes! Of course!" sneered the other. "She's younger and prettier
than I--quite a flapper. I was that way--once. And I suppose you said
the same thing to some one else you wanted to get rid of before you took
me on. Oh, to the devil with the men, anyhow!"

Minnie gasped.

"Shocked you, did I, kid? Well, you'll hear worse than that, believe me.
If I was to tell--"

"Stop!" and LeGrand Blossom snapped out the words in such a manner that
the desperate woman did stop.

"Minnie, go away," he pleaded, more gently. "I'll come to you as soon as
I can, and explain everything. Please believe in me!"

"I--I don't believe I can--again, LeGrand," faltered Minnie. "I--I heard
what you said to her just now--that you couldn't do anything more for
her. Oh, what have you been doing for her? Who is she? Tell me! Oh, I
must hear it, though I dread it!"

"Yes, you shall hear it!" cried LeGrand Blossom, and there was
desperation in his voice. "I was going to tell you, anyhow, before I
married you--"

"Oh, you're really going to marry her, are you?" sneered the blonde.
"Really? How interesting!"

"Will you be quiet?" said LeGrand, and there was that in his voice which
seemed to cow the blonde woman.

"Minnie," went on LeGrand Blossom, "its a hard thing for a man to talk
about a woman, but sometimes it has to be done. And it's doubly hard
when it's about a woman a man once cared for. But I'm going to take my
medicine, and she's got to take hers."

"I'm no quitter! I'm a sport, I am!" was the defiant remark. "So was Mr.
Carwell--Old Carwell we used to call him. But he had more pep than some
of you younger chaps.

"Leave his name out of this!" growled LeGrand, like some dog trying to
keep his temper against the attacks of a cur.

"This woman--I needn't tell you her name now, for she has several," he
went on to Minnie. "This woman and I were once engaged to be married.
She was younger then--and--different. But she began drinking and--well,
she became impossible. Believe me," he said, turning to the figure
beside him, "I don't want to tell this, but I've got to square myself."

"Yes," and the other's voice was broken. "I may as well give up now as
later. If anything can be saved out of the wreck--my wreck--go to it!
Shoot, kid! Tell the wo