ss of things. Was not
Christopher, after all, a friend as well as a servant, a well-tried
friend of Jerry's clan? "Did you connect the fact of Master Jerry's
drinking with his visits to the lady I have mentioned, Christopher?" I
asked in a moment.

He paused a moment scratching his head in perplexity, and then blurted
forth without reserve.

"I'm glad you've spoken, Mr. Canby. I'm not given to talkin' over
Master Jerry's private affairs, sir, but it's all in the family, like,
though I wouldn't 'ave Master Jerry know--"

"Master Jerry will not know."

"Well, Mr. Canby, if you'd ask my hopinion, sir, I'd say that this
young lady--sayin' no names, sir--is doin' no good to Master Jerry.
She's always got 'im fussed, sir, an' irritable. 'E's not like
'imself--not like 'imself at all, sir. Why, Mr. Canby, I'm not the
kind as listens behind keyholes, sir, but one night last week when she
comes to the 'ouse in New York to visit 'im--"

"Ah, she came to the house?"

"Yes, sir, alone, sir, at night; a most unproper thing for a nice girl
to do, sir, if I must say it, Mr. Canby. I couldn't 'elp 'earin' in
the next room, or seein' for the matter of that. Master Jerry is out
of 'is 'ead about 'er, an' no mistake, sir. I could 'ear 'is voice
soft-like an she indifferent, leadin' 'im on, a-playin' with 'im, sir.
Seemed to me like she was sweet an' mad-like by turns. She's a strange
one, Mr. Canby, an' if the matter goes no further I'd like to say,
sir, that I've no fancy for such doin's in a lady."

"Nor I, Christopher. You heard what she said?"

"I couldn't 'elp, some of it. 'Twas about the fight, sir. 'But you
lost,' says she again and again when 'e speaks to 'er soft-like. 'You
lost. You let that ugly gorilla'--them's 'er words, sir, speakin' o'
Clancy--'you let that gorilla beat you, you, my fightin' god.' I
remember the words, sir, 'er hexact words, sir, she said them again
and again. Queer talk for a drawin' room, Mr. Canby, in a lady's
mouth, an' Master Jerry talkin' low all the time and tellin' her he
loved 'er--not darin' even to touch 'er 'and, sir, an' lookin' at her
pleadin' like; 'im with his soft eyes, 'im with 'is great strength an'
manhood, like a child before 'er, not even touchin' 'er, sir, with 'er
temptin' and tantalizing." He broke off with a shrug. "'Tis a queer
world, sir, where them that calls themselves ladies comes a visitin'
gentlemen alone at night, an' goes away clean with a laugh on their
lips. A