d went out softly. As he gained the
open air, Quirk joined him, leaning on the arm of Mr. Clinton, and
evidently not yet wholly recovered from what he was pleased to
denominate a "dem fine spree."

"See what it is to have a friend, _mon cher_!" exclaimed Clinton,
slapping Arthur upon the shoulder. "But for our acquaintance to-day, you
might have come up for trial this morning, and been sent down for thirty
days. 'Oh! my boy, always consider me one of you.'"

"Had I not so far forgotten myself as to be one of _you_ to-day, I would
probably have never seen the inside of such a place as this. Whatever
expense you may have encountered in my behalf, this night, Mr. Clinton,
consider me accountable for, and ready to refund at any moment."

Arthur spoke proudly, and experienced a sentiment of utter disgust, as
he looked upon the two beings who had led him into sin, and been
witnesses to his weakness. He felt that, in a measure, his good name lay
in their hands, but he could not bend that proud spirit--humbled and
chastened though it then was--to treat them in the slightest degree as
his equals, or to accept, unrequited, any favor from such a source.

"Don't be huffy, boy," said Clinton, again; "and don't insult me by
offering _pay_ for what I've done! It's what I'd expect you to do for me
in such a case, and I reckon I'd be a little grateful for it, too."

"Don't parley with him," chimed in Quirk, bending to the spout of a
public hydrant at the same moment, and drinking a long draught. "You
see, Clint, he's a fresh hand at this kind of life, and don't know the
ropes yet. Let him alone."

Arthur deigned not the slightest reply to this, and hastily turning into
a side-street, left Mr. Clinton considerably in the rear, to bring up
his "dear friend Quirk."

Free from the companionship of beings whom he detested, Arthur removed
his hat, and lifted his brow to receive the breath of heaven. The sun
was not yet risen, and save the occasional clatter of a market-cart, as
it went jostling by, or the sluggish step of some sleepy servant, on his
way to procure the breakfast for his fastidious owners, there was no
signs of life or business in the streets.

Arthur was glad of this, and he thought of the alley-way between the
store and the adjoining building, and the steep stairs which led from
the back of this alley to his own room, and as he happened to have the
key of this door about him, he hoped to effect an entrance by this way