t, that I was right, and that
he was simply "not drinking". I was flattered at my discrimination when
I heard him say that he had "sworn off". His friend said no more, but
remained standing while "No. 4" expatiated on the difference between a
man who is drinking and one who is not. I never heard a more striking
exposition of it. He said he wondered that any man could be such a fool
as to drink liquor; that he had determined never to touch another drop.
He presently relapsed into silence, and the other reached out his hand
to say good-by. Suddenly rising, he said: "Well, suppose we go and have
just one for old times' sake. Just one now, mind you; for I have not
touched a drop in----" He turned away, and I did not catch the length of
the time mentioned. But I have reason to believe that "No. 4" overstated
it.

The next time I saw him was in the police court. I happened to be there
when he walked out of the pen among as miscellaneous a lot of chronic
drunkards, thieves, and miscreants of both sexes and several colors
as were ever gathered together. He still had on his old black suit,
buttoned up; but his linen was rumpled and soiled like himself, and he
was manifestly just getting over a debauch, the effects of which were
still visible on him in every line of his perspiring face and thin
figure. He walked with that exaggerated erectness which told his
self-deluded state as plainly as if he had pronounced it in words. He
had evidently been there before, and more than once. The justice nodded
to him familiarly:

"Here again?" he asked, in a tone part pleasantry, part regret.

"Yes, your honor. Met an old soldier last night, and took a drop for
good fellowship, and before I knew it----" A shrug of the shoulders
completed the sentence, and the shoulders did not straighten any more.

The tall officer who had picked him up said something to the justice in
a tone too low for me to catch; but "No. 4" heard it--it was evidently a
statement against him--for he started to speak in a deprecating way. The
judge interrupted him:

"I thought you told me last time that if I let you go you would not take
another drink for a year."

"I forgot," said "No. 4", in a low voice.

"This officer says you resisted him?"

The officer looked stolidly at the prisoner as if it were a matter of
not the slightest interest to him personally. "Cursed me and abused
me," he said, dropping the words slowly as if he were checking off a
schedule.

"