don, Van,
for making a mess, but I can't stand by and see my own brother tempt
another man beyond his strength or make a brute of himself. That's plain
English, but I can't help speaking out, for I know not one of you would
willingly hurt Charlie, and you will if you don't let him alone."

"What do you pitch into me for? I've done nothing. A fellow must be
civil in his own house, mustn't he?" asked Van good-humoredly as he
faced about, corkscrew in hand.

"Yes, but it is not civil to urge or joke a guest into doing what you
know and he knows is bad for him. That's only a glass of wine to you,
but it is perdition to Charlie, and if Steve knew what he was about,
he'd cut his right hand off before he'd offer it."

"Do you mean to say I'm tipsy?" demanded Steve, ruffling up like a
little gamecock, for though he saw now what he had done and was ashamed
of it, he hated to have Mac air his peculiar notions before other
people.

"With excitement, not champagne, I hope, for I wouldn't own you if you
were," answered Mac, in whom indignation was effervescing like the wine
in the forgotten bottle, for the men were all young, friends of Steve's
and admirers of Charlie's. "Look here, boys," he went on more quietly,
"I know I ought not to explode in this violent sort of way, but upon my
life I couldn't help it when I heard what you were saying and saw what
Steve was doing. Since I have begun, I may as well finish and tell you
straight out that Prince can't stand this sort of thing. He is trying
to flee temptation, and whoever leads him into it does a cowardly
and sinful act, for the loss of one's own self-respect is bad enough,
without losing the more precious things that make life worth having.
Don't tell him I've said this, but lend a hand if you can, and never
have to reproach yourselves with the knowledge that you helped to ruin a
fellow creature, soul and body."

It was well for the success of Mac's first crusade that his hearers
were gentlemen and sober, so his outburst was not received with jeers or
laughter but listened to in silence, while the expression of the faces
changed from one of surprise to regret and respect, for earnestness is
always effective and championship of this sort seldom fails to touch
hearts as yet unspoiled. As he paused with an eloquent little quiver
in his eager voice, Van corked the bottle at a blow, threw down the
corkscrew, and offered Mac his hand, saying heartily, in spite of his
slang: "You