is is one of the fashionable establishments of
the city."

A glow of shame crossed Arthur's cheek, as the truth flashed upon his
mind, and dashing his glass angrily down, blushing at the thought of
being led into such a place, he was about to pass out of the door.

"Why, hold on, Pratt; have you forgotten what you came here for? You
haven't told me a word of what you were going to."

"Nor shall I in this hole," returned Arthur, laying his hand upon the
door-key; "if you want to hear it you must get out of here."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Quirk, trying to detain him; "hold on till we
finish this bottle."

"Not I," replied Arthur, "I've had enough;" and dashing open the door,
he rushed against the trim figure of Clinton, who was just about to
enter.

CHAPTER XIX.

"Fate is above us all;
We struggle, but what matters our endeavor?
Our doom is gone beyond our own recall;
May we deny or mitigate it? Never!"

Miss Landon.

"Whither so fast, whither so fast!" cried Clinton, so cheerfully, as he
laid both hands on Arthur's shoulders, and playfully detained him, that
he could not answer the speaker with a frown; so, holding out his hand,
he shook that of the new comer heartily, and suffered himself to be led
back into the card-room.

"If you hadn't have come just as you did, Clin, this chap would have
been off like a shot from a shovel, his young modesty was so shocked
just by my telling him the state of affairs in the house here," said
Quirk, tipping back in his chair against the wall, while a sneer mingled
in the smile upon his lips.

"Well, if he isn't used to such things, I don't wonder," returned
Clinton, drawing Arthur to a seat by his side, and squeezing cordially
the hand he still held.

"You're a pretty one to side that way," said Quirk, half angry at
Clinton's remark. "If he ain't used to such things, it's time he was
initiated, if he ever expects to be a man."

"Time enough, time enough," replied Clinton, good-naturedly, shaking the
bottle to see if there was anything left in it, then touching a
table-bell at his side, he summoned Quibbles.

"A couple of bottles of champagne here, and clean glasses."

They were brought instantly.

"How came you to drop in here, boys, to-night? I declare it is an
unexpected pleasure."

"Pratt had something on his mind, and came in here to tell me of it; but
he got so d----d huffy, I don't suppose I shall hear it now."

"Something on yo