ething about the queer ways of
women. Can you tell--"

"Look here, Charley," he broke out savagely: "I want one thing
understood. You are always teasing and bothering about the women; and
as you have not got a piece of flesh as big as a pea for a heart, you
will never understand anything about them; so, if you don't want to
set me crazy, just let that subject down while I am here."

"It's a woman, then," I said, forgetting in my surprise to be angry.
"Cheer up, old boy! You will soon get over it: no woman's worth it."

"Not to you, perhaps, but it may be the contrary with me," he answered
moodily.

There was a long silence. I smoked, he drank: at last I broke it by
saying unconsciously, "She is a dear little thing." My thoughts had
reverted to Eva.

"Ah, you saw it?" cried Ned eagerly. "Then I can talk to you about it.
You may well say she is a dear little thing. She is an angel--too good
for a fellow like me. But the poor child dotes on me: that is the
hardest part of the cursed thing. How she laid her head on my shoulder
and cried, and said she did not want to marry that other fellow, d----n
him! It almost broke my heart," he continued dejectedly, "and it is
not of the stuff that breaks easily. I told her I would take her off
and we would run for it, though Heaven knows what we should do
afterward. Sometimes it seems as if I could not bear it. I wish I
could strangle Todd: that would be some comfort."

"What makes you so savage against old Todd?"

"Don't you know he and Eva are engaged? All owing to the interference
of that old Stunner. What business was it of hers, I wonder? And poor
Eva disliking him as she does, and so unhappy about it, and I can't
help her! My cursed luck, always;" and Ned heaved a brandy-and-seltzer
sigh.

Yes, it was Eva. I had forgotten all she had told me about Ned, or
rather she had not told me as much as he did. She sobbed on his
shoulder, did she? His shoulder! disgusting! She dote on him! he
comfort her! It was horrible! A sudden idea struck me. "Did you kiss
her, Ned?" I asked gruffly.

"You are asking a d----d impertinent question, old fellow, and of
course I sha'n't answer you;" and he tried to make his drunken face
look grave.

I should have liked to throw him out of the window, but the question
was, as he said, hardly one to be asked; and then, if she allowed it,
what right had I--It was enough. It might be pleasant to have an
affectionate wife, but no drinking gambler l