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 more to launch nervous English against this quixotism, but Strong
interposed.

"'S all true," he solemnly stated, fixing his eyes rollingly on Reed.
"Got Orange-colored cousin what break Recky's heart if don't take's
home. Y'see--y'see--" The President of these United States in a cabinet
council would have stopped to listen to him, so freighted with great
facts coming was his confidential manner. "Y'see--wouldn't tell
ev'body--only you," and he laid a mighty hand on Reed's shoulder. "I'm
so drunk. Awful pity--too bad," and he sighed deeply. "Now, Recky, ol'
man, take's home."

"Who's your friend, Billy?" Rex inquired, disregarding this appeal.

Billy burst into a shout of laughter which Fairfax promptly clipped by
putting his hand over the big man's mouth. "He's bes' joke yet," Strong
remarked through Rex's fingers. "He's go'n' kill himself," and he kissed
the restraining hand gallantly.

The two sober citizens turned and stared at the gentlemen. He looked it.
He looked as if there could be no step deeper into the gloom which
enveloped him, except suicide. He nodded darkly as the two regarded him.

"Uh-huh. Life's failure. Lost cuff-button. Won't live to be indecent.
Go'n' kill m'self soon's this dizhiness goesh pasht. Billy's drunk, but
I'm subject to--to dizhiness."