" with herself serving behind the bar--a bold-looking
young woman, not over-neat--and yet attractive in her way--good
figure, regular features, and good color. "There, Joe, if you brought
a girl like that home your mother would probably die of a broken
heart, but there's the kind that a foolish man like Dave Warner would
sell his soul for." Then Clancy explained while we were waiting for
her to see us privately, "I don't know if she'll remember me, but I
met her two or three times in Gloucester."

When she came in she recognized Clancy right away. "How do you do,
Captain Clancy?"

"How do you do, Miss Luce? My friend, Mr. Buckley. Now what we've come
for--but first, suppose we have a little something by way of
sociability. A little fizzy stuff, say, and some good cigars, Miss
Luce."

She brought the wine and the cigars. Clancy pulled the cork, filled
both glasses, pushed one glass toward the young woman and drew one to
himself.

"But, Captain, your friend hasn't any."

"My friend," said Clancy, "doesn't drink. The last thing the doctor
said to him before we came away was, 'Don't touch a drop of liquor or
your life will pay the forfeit.' You see, Miss Luce, he's been a
dissipated youth--drink--and having been dissipated and coming of
delicate people, it's affected his health."

"You don't tell me? I'm sure he doesn't look it."

"No, he don't--that's a fact. But so it is."

"Stomach?" she asked me.

"No--heart," answered Clancy for me. "What they call an aneurism. You
know what an aneurism is, of course?"

"Yes-yes--oh, yes----"

"Of course. Well, he's got one of them."

"That's too bad. So he only smokes instead?"

"That's all. Here, Joe, smoke up."

"My, I always thought smoking was bad for the heart."

"It is--for everything except aneurisms. Smoking's the death of
aneurisms. Have another cigar, Joe. And Miss Luce, shall we exchange a
health?"

"But I never drank anything in all my life."

"Of course not. But you will now, won't you? Consider the occasion and
I'm sure you won't let me drink alone. And I've come so far to see
you, too--only of course not--Well, here's to your good health, and
may you live long and----"

The rest of it was smothered in the gurgle. And nobody would ever
think to see the way she put down hers that Miss Luce had never had a
drink of wine before.

"And now, Miss Luce, may I ask how long it has been since your friend
Dave Warner left----"

"Oh-h--Dave Warner? He's