nt for half an hour. Then he bestirred himself and
spoke.

"Well," he said, sighing, "I knew this was the way it would be." There
was another stillness. The mere boy seemed to be musing.

"She was pulling m'leg. That's the whole amount of it," he said,
suddenly. "It's a bloomin' shame the way that girl does. Why, I've
spent over two dollars in drinks to-night. And she goes off with that
plug-ugly who looks as if he had been hit in the face with a coin-die.
I call it rocky treatment for a fellah like me. Here, waiter, bring me
a cock-tail and make it damned strong."

Maggie made no reply. She was watching the doors. "It's a mean piece
of business," complained the mere boy. He explained to her how amazing
it was that anybody should treat him in such a manner. "But I'll get
square with her, you bet. She won't get far ahead of yours truly, you
know," he added, winking. "I'll tell her plainly that it was bloomin'
mean business. And she won't come it over me with any of her
'now-Freddie-dears.' She thinks my name is Freddie, you know, but of
course it ain't. I always tell these people some name like that,
because if they got onto your right name they might use it sometime.
Understand? Oh, they don't fool me much."

Maggie was paying no attention, being intent upon the doors. The mere
boy relapsed into a period of gloom, during which he exterminated a
number of cock-tails with a determined air, as if replying defiantly to
fate. He occasionally broke forth into sentences composed of
invectives joined together in a long string.

The girl was still staring at the doors. After a time the mere boy
began to see cobwebs just in front of his nose. He spurred himself
into being agreeable and insisted upon her having a charlotte-russe and
a glass of beer.

"They's gone," he remarked, "they's gone." He looked at her through
the smoke wreaths. "Shay, lil' girl, we mightish well make bes' of it.
You ain't such bad-lookin' girl, y'know. Not half bad. Can't come up
to Nell, though. No, can't do it! Well, I should shay not! Nell
fine-lookin' girl! F--i--n--ine. You look damn bad longsider her, but
by y'self ain't so bad. Have to do anyhow. Nell gone. On'y you left.
Not half bad, though."

Maggie stood up.

"I'm going home," she said.

The mere boy started.

"Eh? What? Home," he cried, struck with amazement. "I beg pardon,
did hear say home?"

"I'm going home," she repeated.

"Great Gawd, wh