"It was clear to me now, and I wondered that I had not thought of it
before. 'But,' I asked, 'what has this to do with foul play? You don't
mean to intimate that his liquor was drugged?'

"'No. The liquor was all right, so far as that goes,' he replied. 'The
story I heard was this. It came to me in rather a curious way. I was in
the reading-room at the League this morning looking over a city paper,
when I happened to hear your name spoken by one of two gentlemen who
sat a little behind me talking in a confidential way, but in a louder
key than they imagined. I could not help hearing what they said. After
the mention of your name I listened with close attention, and found
that they were talking about the law-suit, and about Mr. B---- in
connection therewith. "It was a sharp game," one of them said. "How was
it done?" inquired the other.

"'I partially held my breath,' continued my friend, 'so as not to lose
a word. "Neatly enough," was the reply. "You see our friend the lawyer
can't refuse a drink. He's got a strong head, and can take twice as
much as the next man without showing it. A single glass makes no
impression on him, unless it be to sharpen him up. So a plan was laid
to get half a dozen glasses aboard, more or less, before court opened
on the morning the case of Walker vs. Carlton was to be called. But not
willing to trust to this, we had a wine-supper for his special benefit
on the night before, so as to break his nerves a little and make him
thirsty next morning. Well, you see, the thing worked, and B---- drank
his bottle or two, and went to bed pretty mellow. Of course he must
tone up in the morning before leaving home, and so come out all right.
He would tone up a little more on his way to his office, and then be
all ready for business and bright as a new dollar. This would spoil
all. So five of us arranged to meet him at as many different points on
his way down town and ask him to drink. The thing worked like a charm.
We got six glasses into him before he reached his office. I saw as soon
as he came into court that it was a gone case for Carlton. B---- had
lost his head. And so it proved. We had an easy victory."'

"I took the case out of B----'s hands," said Mr. Carlton, "and gained
it in a higher court, the costs of both trials falling upon the other
side. Since that time, Dr. Hillhouse, I have had some new views on the
subject of moderate drinking, as it is called."

"What are they?" asked the doctor.