fluid.

To see the slow curving of that delicately molded wrist, the challenging
flash of the saucy eyes of blue, by Jove, it made me just forget all
about what she was doing till the fluid ran over the brim. And then,
before I could intercept her, she had lightly gestured her glass to
mine, and in a flash the stuff was gone.

Gone! A full whisky glass; and I recalled with a shiver of horror that
it was very high proof liquor--something I seldom touched myself, but
kept on hand for certain of my friends.

"I say, you know!" I gasped in consternation.

"I'm awfully afraid that will--er--will--" I gulped wordlessly.

The coral lips curved scornfully.

"Get _me_ jingled?" She looked as she might have if I had insulted her.
"Maybe so in those girlie-girlie days you were trying to josh me about,
but not since these two years I've been at college." She shook her
lovely, bright head, and following a long enjoyable pull at the cigar,
projected five perfect rings at a frescoed cherub in the ceiling. The
exquisite eyes softened dreamily as under the spell of some pleasing
thought--some tender reminiscence.

"Why, do you know," she said, looking at me earnestly, "when I was home
for the holidays--" Then she paused. "Don't tell Brother Jack I told you
this--will you, Mr. Lightnut? He's so sensitive about it."

"Certainly not," I said feelingly.

I thought the wistful face brightened.

"Well, when I was home, then, I put Brother Jack under the table two
nights running; and you know that's going some!"

And smiling proudly, she poured out another! But not any more, for I put
away the decanter.

My brain was reeling, as they say in books; dash it, I was almost sick.
Poor, poor little girl! And nobody to remonstrate with her. What a
shame--what a shame!

By Jove, I wondered if she would listen to me! I fixed my glass
resolutely as we resumed our seats, and bent toward her earnestly.

"May I say something very seriously, Miss Billings?" I began nervously.
"Without offense, you know--"

But she was off in a fit of chuckling. Most girls giggled, I had always
heard, but she chuckled. Somehow, I liked it less than anything she did;
it sounded so devilish ghastly, you know. And then it was so awfully
embarrassing--oh, awfully. If you've never tried to remonstrate with a
girl about her vicious habits and had her chuckle, you just can't
imagine! I felt my cheeks flushing jolly red and looked down, and then I
had to look som