," he continued, "that I have lost my place. She
would just fall back and die."

"I forbade your speaking of your wife," I said, sharply, "unless you
can speak pleasantly of her."

"But she may be worse now, sir, and I cannot even see Jenny from here.
The library windows look to the back."

"If she dies," I said, "it will be a warning to you to marry a stronger
woman next time."

Now, every one knows that there is little real affection among the
lower orders. As soon as they have lost one mate they take another. Yet
William, forgetting our relative positions, drew himself up and raised
his fist, and if I had not stepped back I swear he would have struck
me.

The highly improper words William used I will omit, out of
consideration for him. Even while he was apologizing for them I retired
to the smoking-room, where I found the cigarettes so badly rolled that
they would not keep alight. After a little I remembered that I wanted
to see Myddleton Finch about an improved saddle of which a friend of
his has the patent. He was in the news-room, and having questioned him
about the saddle, I said:

"By the way, what is this story about your swearing at one of the
waiters?"

"You mean about his swearing at me," Myddleton Finch replied,
reddening.

"I am glad that was it," I said. "For I could not believe you guilty of
such bad form."

"If I did swear----" he was beginning, but I went on:

"The version which reached me was that you swore at him, and he
repeated the word. I heard he was to be dismissed and you reprimanded."

"Who told you that?" asked Myddleton Finch, who is a timid man.

"I forget; it is club talk," I replied lightly. "But of course the
committee will take your word. The waiter, whichever one he is, richly
deserves his dismissal for insulting you without provocation."

Then our talk returned to the saddle, but Myddleton Finch was
abstracted, and presently he said:

"Do you know, I fancy I was wrong in thinking that waiter swore at me,
and I'll withdraw my charge to-morrow."

Myddleton Finch then left me, and, sitting alone, I realized that I had
been doing William a service. To some slight extent I may have
intentionally helped him to retain his place in the club, and I now see
the reason, which was that he alone knows precisely to what extent I
like my claret heated.

For a mere second I remembered William's remark that he should not be
able to see the girl Jenny from the library windows. The