wide amiability, "but my head is
clear as a bell." His eyes flashed nervously about the shop, resting
upon nothing, seeing everything. He spied Grant, "Hello, Red," exclaimed
Mr. Fenn, "glad to see you back again. 'M back again myself. Ye crags
'n' peaks 'm with you once again." As he nourished his silk hat he saw
the consternation on Brotherton's big, moon face. Walking behind the
counter he clapped both hands down on Brotherton's big shoulders.
"Georgy, Georgy," he repeated mournfully:

"Old story, Georgy. Fight--fight, fight, then just a little, just a very
little surrender; not going to give in, but just a nip for old sake's
sake. Whoo-oo-oo-oo-p the skyrocket blazes and is gone, and then just
another nip to cool the first and then a God damn big drink and--and--"

He laughed foolishly and leaned forward on the counter. As his arm
touched the counter it brushed the smilax covered cigar box and sent the
box and the cigars to the floor.

"Henry, you fool--you poor fool," cried Brotherton; but his voice was
not angry as he said: "If you must mess up your own affairs for Heaven's
sake have some respect for Tom's!"

"Tom's love affairs and mine," sneered the maudlin man. "'They grew in
beauty side by side.' But don't you fool yourself," and Fenn wagged a
drunken head, "Tom's devil isn't, dead, she sleepeth, that's what she
does. The maiden is not dead she sleepeth, and some day she'll wake up
and then Tom's love affair will be where my love affair is." His eyes
met the doctor's. Fenn sighed and laughed fatuously and then he
straightened up and said: "Mr. George Brotherton, most worshipful
master, Senior Warden, Grand High Potentate, Keeper of the Records and
Seals--hear me. I'm going out to No. 826 Congress Street to see the
fairest of her sex--the fairest of her sex." Then he smiled like the
flash of a burning soul and continued:

"'The cold, the changed, perchance the dead anew,
The mourned, the loved, the lost.'"

And sighing a deep sigh, and again waving his silk hat in a profound
bow, he was gone. The group in the store saw him step lightly into a
waiting hack, and drive away out of their reach. Brotherton stood at the
door and watched the carriage turn off Market Street, then came back,
shaking a sorrowful head. He looked up at the Doctor and said: "She's
bluffing--say, Doctor, you know her, what do you think?"

"Bluffing," returned the Doctor absently, then added quickly: "Come now,
George, get yo