plessness, as his
from drink. My hand shook as much as his from mental excitement, as his
from physical exhaustion. He was the representative of those who
sacrifice to-morrow for to-day. I, of those who sacrifice to-day for
to-morrow. And I wondered, as I smoked on with his collapsed figure
before me, which was the greater fool. "Do neither" is the cry. "Take
the gifts of to-day without robbing to-morrow." Estimable rule, I
agree, if you are fortunate enough to have the chance of carrying it
out. But very few of us have. A man with Howard's constitution could
only purchase the hours last night with the hours of this morning.
Success would not come to me to-morrow unless I were willing to
struggle for it to-day.

"What did you drink?" I asked, after a pause.

"Maraschino, cognac, and clic," he answered, and a gesture of his hand
and first finger showed he meant in the same glass. I laughed.

"What a mixture! No wonder you're mixed yourself!"

"Can't stand it!" he only muttered again.

"No, you must sit it out or sleep it off now," I said, getting up with
a stretch. "Faina in good form?"

"Magnificent--Vic, you should have been there!"

"Thanks! yes, I think so!" I said, gathering up the precious pages from
the floor and table and piling them on a console. I wanted to go and
get my own breakfast, but the look of Howard's face, as it lay against
the chair back, bloodless, and the colour of ashes, made me hesitate to
leave him.

"Can I get you anything?" I said.

"No--help me into bed," he muttered, without opening his eyes, moving
his head restlessly from side to side.

"Come along, then," I answered, bending over him; "here's my arm."

He half raised his lids at that, and then feebly pushed a leaden hand
and arm through mine. There was a pause. He seemed unable to make a
farther movement, and sat, his head sunk into his chest, his arm
hanging through mine.

"Come, Howard, make an effort," I said, after a minute, and he
staggered uncertainly to his feet.

Getting him into the next room and into bed was a lengthy and difficult
matter, but at last, after protracted pauses, it was effected, and he
fell back upon the pillows--face and lips one tint with the linen. I
spoke to him, but I got no articulate answer, only groans in response.

"I am going to fetch you some coffee," I said, leaning over him.

His eyes opened wide, and fixed upon me with a sort of helpless terror.

"No, no! don't go!--stay!" he whis