the hands
of a policeman. As I craned my neck to get a glimpse of the unfortunate
woman, I was shocked beyond expression to find that it was none other
than Arletta who had created the commotion. Horrified, I rushed through
the crowd, pushing men right and left, until I had reached the
policeman, who was holding her up by the arm and trying to ascertain her
name and address. She could hardly stand, and seemed dazed to the point
of falling, but as I spoke her name, her memory revived somewhat, and,
fixing her half-closed eyes upon me, she said: "Why, hello Jack" And
then, turning to the officer, remarked: "This is my friend Jack; he will
take me home." I could not understand the reason she called me Jack. She
had never addressed me in that way before. But without delay I informed
the policeman that I would take charge of her, and requested him to call
a cab. When the vehicle arrived it became necessary for me to lift her
bodily into it, and then I was at a loss to know just where to take her.
In order to get away from the crowd, however, I told the driver to go on
and I would give him the address later.

"Tell him to take us to the Seraglio Apartments," she mumbled.

"Do you know where the Seraglio Apartments are?" I inquired of the
driver.

"Yes, sir, in Central Park West," replied he, as he whipped up his horse
and started in that direction.

Arletta said no more, but remained silent, as if stupefied from the
effects of the intoxicating drink she had taken.

"What a pity," thought I, as we sped along, "that this young woman, with
all of her beauty, grace and charm, and with all of her splendid traits
of character, should fall a victim to the awful curse of drink! Could
this condition have been brought about because she had no work to
perform and too much time and money to squander recklessly? What a pity
that there are human beings who make and sell poisonous stuff for money
which not only robs those who use it of their reasoning power, but which
undermines the very foundation of the human race! Those people who make
and sell liquor, knowing that it will ultimately destroy the lives of
thousands of human beings, are just as much murderous poisoners as would
be the chemist who would knowingly give a deadly drug to an intended
suicide."

When we arrived at the apartment house, which was one of the most
magnificent in New York, it was with some difficulty that I was able to
arouse her sufficiently so that she could