one knew where to find him. The effect of that was
fortunately good--Judge Rush was rather pleased than otherwise that a
young clergyman should be so taken up with his work as to forget his
interests. But Reed was most anxious that this evening's appointment
should go off successfully, while Rex was as light-hearted as a bird.
Any one would have thought it was Reed's own future he was laboring
over instead of that of the youngster who had a gift of making men care
for him and work for him without effort on his own part.

The two walked down Broadway toward the elevated road, Rex's dark eyes
gathering amusement here and there in the crowded way as they went.

"Look at Billy Strong--why there's Billy Strong across the street. Come
over and I'll present you, Carty. Just the chap you want to meet. He's a
great athlete--on the water-polo team of the New York Athletic Club, you
know--as much of an old sport as you are." And Reed found himself swung
across and standing before a powerful, big figure of a man, almost
before he could answer. There was another man with the distinguished
Billy, and Reed had not regarded the two for more than one second before
he discovered that they were both in a distinct state of intoxication.
In fact, Strong proclaimed the truth at once, false shame cast to the
winds. He threw his arm about Rex's neck with a force of affection
which almost knocked down the quartette.

"Recky," he bubbled, "good old Recky--bes' fren' ev' had--I'm drunk,
Recky--too bad. We're both drunk. Take's home." Rex glanced at his
cousin in dismay, and Strong repeated his invitation cordially. "Take's
home, Recky," he insisted, with the easy air of a man who confers an
honor. "'S up to you, Recky."

Rex looked at his frowning cousin doubtfully, pleadingly.

"It almost seems as if it was, doesn't it, Carty?" he said. "We can't
leave them like this."

"I don't see why we can't--I can," Reed asserted. "It's none of our
business, Rex, and we really haven't time to palaver. Come along."

[Illustration: "Recky," he bubbled, "good old Recky--bes' fren' ev'
had"]

The gentle soul of Rex Fairfax was surprisingly firm. "Carty, they'd be
arrested in five minutes," he reasoned. "It's a wonder they haven't
been already. And Billy's people--it would break their hearts. I know
some of them well, you see. I was with him only last week over in
Orange."

"Oh!" Reed groaned. "That Girl from Orange again." He opened his lips
once mor