swells like the
one who had abused him, and a piratical prophecy that he'd drink his
heart's blood within the week, was due not so much to confidence in his
own powers, perhaps, as to the strength of the whiskey with which he had
been liberally supplied. Then the lady of the house addressed her Ethiop
maid-of-all-work:

"Go you over to Anatole's now, 'Louette. Tell him if any of the byes are
there I wahnt 'um. If Dawson is there, from the adjutant's office, I
wahnt him quick. Tell him it's Mrs. Doyle, and never mind if he's been
dhrinkin'; he shall have another dhrop here."

And at her beck there presently appeared three or four besotted-looking
specimens in the coarse undress uniform of the day, poor devils, absent
without leave from their post below and hoping only to be able to beg
or steal whiskey enough to stupefy them before the patrol should come
and drag them away to the guard-house. Promise of liberal reward in
shape of liquor was sufficient to induce three of their number to go out
with the fuming cabman and help rescue his wretched brute and trap. The
moment they were outside the gate she turned on the fourth, a pallid,
sickly man, whose features were delicate, whose hands were white and
slender, and whose whole appearance, despite glassy eyes and tremulous
mouth and limbs, told the pathetic story of better days.

"You're off ag'in, are you? Sure I heerd so, and you're mad for a dhrink
now. Can ye write, Dawson, or must I brace you up furrst?"

An imploring look, an unsteady gesture, alone answered.

"Here, thin, wait! It's absinthe ye need, my buck. Go you into that room
now and wash yourself, and I'll bring it, and whin the others come back
for their whiskey I'll tell 'um you've gone. You're to do what I say,
now, and Doyle will see you t'rough; if not, it's back to that hell in
the guard-house you'll go, my word on it."

"Oh, for God's sake, Mrs. Doyle----" began the poor wretch,
imploringly, but the woman shut him off.

"In there wid you! the others are coming." And, unbarring the front
door, she presently admitted the trio returning to claim the fruits of
their honest labor.

"Is he gone? Did he tell you what happened?"

"He's gone, yes," answered one: "he's gone to get square with the
lieutenant and his cockney dog-robber. He says they both jumped on him
and kicked his face in when he was down and unarmed and helpless. Was he
lyin'?"

"Oh, they bate him cruel. But did he tell you of the lady