ere bent curiously
upon him.

"I take it I'm intruding," the new-comer said sourly.

"Why should you think that, Solomon Mahaffy? When has my door been
closed on you?" the judge asked, but there was a guilty deepening of the
flush on his face. Mr. Mahaffy glanced at the jug, at the half-emptied
glass within convenient reach of the judge's hand, lastly at the judge
himself, on whose flame-colored visage his eyes rested longest.

"I've heard said there was honor among thieves," he remarked.

"I know of no one better fitted to offer an opinion on so delicate a
point than just yourself, Mahaffy," said the judge, with a thick little
ripple of laughter.

But Solomon Mahaffy's long face did not relax in its set expression.

"I saw your light," he explained, "but you seem to be raising first-rate
hell all by yourself."

"Oh, be reasonable, Solomon. You'd gone down to the steamboat landing,"
said the judge plaintively. By way of answer, Mahaffy shot him a
contemptuous glance. "Take a chair--do, Solomon!" entreated the judge.

"I don't force my society on any man, Mr. Price," said Mahaffy, with
austere hostility of tone. The judge winced at the "Mr." That registered
the extreme of Mahaffy's disfavor.

"You feel bitter about this, Solomon?" he said.

"I do," said Mahaffy, in a tone of utter finality.

"You'll feel better with three fingers of this trickling through your
system," observed the judge, pushing a glass toward him.

"When did I ever sneak a jug into my shanty?" asked Mahaffy sternly,
evidently conscious of entire rectitude in this matter.

"I deplore your choice of words, Solomon," said the judge. "You know
damn well that if you'd been here I couldn't have got past your place
with that jug! But let's deal with conditions. Here's the jug, with some
liquor left in it--here's a glass. Now what more do you want?"

"Have I ever been caught like this?" demanded Mahaffy.

"No, you've invariably manifested the honorable disabilities of a
gentleman. But don't set it all down to virtue. Maybe you haven't had
the opportunity, maybe the temptation never came and found you weak
and thirsty. Put away your sinful pride, Solomon--a sot like you has no
business with the little niceties of selfrespect."

"Do I drink alone?" insisted Mahaffy doggedly.

"I never give you the chance," retorted his friend. Mr. Mahaffy drew
near the table. "Sit down," urged the judge.

"I hope you feel mean?" said Mahaffy.

"If it's any