pointedly,
"is welcome. Who's coming, like?"

There was another hoarse laugh at this, and most of the men there turned
their backs on Cotherstone and began to talk loudly. But one or two of
the less particular and baser sort, whom Cotherstone would certainly not
have called friends a week before, nudged each other and made towards
the door which the waiter held invitingly open--it was not every day
that the best champagne and the best cigars were to be had for nothing,
and if Cotherstone liked to fling him money about, what did it matter,
so long as they benefited by his folly?

"That's the style!" said Cotherstone, pushing the barrister along.
"Bring two--bring three bottles," he cried to the waiter. "Big
'uns!--and the best."

An elderly man, one of Cotherstone's fellow-members of the Corporation,
came forward and caught him by the arm.

"Cotherstone!" he whispered. "Don't be a fool! Think of what's only just
over. Go home, like a good fellow--go quietly home. You're doing no good
with this--you'll have all the town talking!"

"Hang the town, and you too!" snapped Cotherstone. "You're one of them
that shouted at me in front of the Town Hall, curse you! I'll let you
and all Highmarket see what I care for you. What's it to you if I have a
quiet glass of wine with my friends?"

But there was no quiet drinking of a glass of wine in the parlour to
which Cotherstone and his cronies retired. Whenever its door opened
Cotherstone's excited tones were heard in the big room, and the more
sober-minded of the men who listened began to shake their heads.

"What's the matter with him?" asked one. "Nobody ever knew him like this
before! What's he carrying on in that fashion for?"

"He's excited with getting off," said another. "And that bit of a scene
outside there threw him off his balance. He should ha' been taken
straight home. Nice lot he's got with him, too! We all know what yon
barrister chap is--he can drink champagne like water, they say, and for
the others--listen to that, now!" he added as a burst of excited talking
came through the opened door. "He'll be in a fine fit state to go home
to that daughter of his, I know, if that goes on."

"It mustn't go on," said another, and got up. "I'll go across to Bent's
and get him to come over and take Cotherstone away. Bent's the only man
that'll have any influence with him."

He went out and crossed the Market Place to Bent's office. But Bent was
not there. By his advice