ly. The suggestion was evidently too much
for him, because he stretched out his hand for his whiskey glass.
"Father's done with me," he said dolefully.

"He'll relent," suggested Underwood.

Howard shook his head drowsily. Touching his brow, he said:

"Too much brains, too much up here." Placing his hand on his heart, he
went on: "Too little down here. Once he gets an idea, he never lets it
go, he holds on. Obstinate. One idea--stick to it. Gee, but I've made a
mess of things, haven't I?"

Underwood looked at him with contempt.

"You've made a mess of your life," he said bitterly, "yet you've had
some measure of happiness. You, at least, married the woman you love.
Drunken beast as you are, I envy you. The woman I wanted married some
one else, damn her!"

Howard was so drowsy from the effects of the whiskey that he was almost
asleep. As he lay back on the sofa, he gurgled:

"Say, old man; I didn't come here to listen to hard-luck stories. I came
to tell one."

In maudlin fashion he began to sing, _Oh, listen to my tale of woe_,
while Underwood sat glaring at him, wondering how he could put him out.

As he reached the last verse his head began to nod. The words came
thickly from his lips and he sank sleepily back among the soft divan
pillows.

Just at that moment the telephone bell rang. Underwood quickly picked up
the receiver.

"Who's that?" he asked. As he heard the answer his face lit up and he
replied eagerly: "Mrs. Jeffries--yes. I'll come down. No, tell her to
come up."

Hanging up the receiver, he hastily went over to the divan and shook
Howard.

"Howard, wake up! confound you! You've got to get out--there's somebody
coming."

He shook him roughly, but his old classmate made no attempt to move.

"Quick, do you hear!" exclaimed Underwood impatiently. "Wake up--some
one's coming."

Howard sleepily half opened his eyes. He had forgotten entirely where he
was and believed he was on the train, for he answered:

"Sure, I'm sleepy. Say--porter, make up my bed."

His patience exhausted, Underwood was about to pull him from the sofa by
force, when there was a ring at the front door.

Bending quickly over his companion, Underwood saw that he was fast
asleep. There was no time to awaken him and get him out of the way, so,
quickly, he took a big screen and arranged it around the divan so that
Howard could not be seen. Then he hurried to the front door and opened
it.

Alicia entered.

CHAPT