he pleasure? Our dinner is waiting, I believe, Mrs.
Windemere," and amid much merriment and excitement, the other gentlemen
quickly sought partners and followed.

By a previous understanding with Mr. Malcolm, Mrs. Windemere and party
were offered the places of the four young people at the captain's
table, and they "went down a peg," as Dwight put it, to another,
entirely filled with the younger portion of the guests. If there was a
little more learning and elegance, perhaps, at the former, there was a
vast amount of fun and nonsense at the latter. Every one in the saloon
was supplied with at least one thin slice from the prize pig which,
roasted whole and holding an ear of corn in its teeth, was gaily
decorated with the flags of England and the United States. It was held
high for inspection before the carving began, and many a joke ran
around, from table to table, upon the fine appearance of his porcine
majesty.

At some of the tables wine flowed freely, and a few of the young men
soon ordered it at the one where our girls were seated. It is more
commonly used at meals abroad than with middle-class Americans at home,
and nearly all partook. Neither Bess nor Dwight, however, would take
it and, seeing this, Faith and Hope, caring little about it, also
declined, though they had never been taught conscientious scruples
regarding its use. No special comment was made upon this, but when
Chester Carnegie also turned down his glass the young attaches began a
running fire of jests at his expense; Mr. Allyne especially, who soon
showed the influence of his champagne, leading off with some sharply
personal remarks.

The lieutenant said as little as possible in return, but occasionally a
witty reply would turn the laugh against his opponent, who grew
disagreeable and really quarrelsome, as the wine affected him more and
more.

Seeing this, Carnegie attempted to ignore the whole matter, and turning
to Faith, who sat next him, began talking in a lowered tone, hoping
Allyne would understand that he was now going too far and so drop the
subject.

But a man in liquor is an irresponsible being, and Allyne, under the
polish of education and training, possessed the nature of a bully--he
was tyrannical and contentious. Choosing now to assume that Carnegie's
partial turning away and low-voiced conversation were intended to
insult him, he straightened up, and looking fiercely across the table,
with eyes already watery from the