away without attracting attention.

Slipping on his overcoat, he sauntered forth for a stroll along the
principal street of the city.

As he was passing the Iroquois Hotel some one struck him a heavy blow on
the shoulder, and a voice exclaimed:

"Dade Morgan, as I live! Well, wouldn't this jostle you some!"

A young man who looked something like a swell, yet had a dissipated
appearance, grasped Morgan's hand and shook it warmly.

"This is a surprise!" he declared. "Saw you last at the Imperial in
little old New York the night after the ponies hit you such a bump. You
had accumulated a large load and were in a pretty mushy condition. Lost
track of you after that. Couldn't find you, you know. Didn't anybody
seem to know what had become of you. Was afraid you'd done something
rash. You're looking fine as a daisy. What brought you to this town?
Come in and have a drink and tell me about it."

The talkative young man forcibly pulled Morgan into the hotel, but Dade
finally stopped him, saying:

"I'm glad to see you again, Cavendale; but you'll have to excuse me from
drinking. I've cut it out."

"Oh, come, old man, don't----"

"It's straight goods," asserted Morgan grimly. "No more of the lush for
me."

"I can't believe it! And you were such a hot bunch! Well, come in to the
bar and watch me lap up something."

He insisted until Morgan finally consented to accompany him to the bar.
When they arrived there Cavendale renewed his urgent invitation, but
Dade stood firm as far as liquor was concerned.

"Well, have something for old times' sake," said Cavendale. "I'm going
to look on the rye. Take a lemonade, a ginger ale, anything to be
sociable. I want you to tell me about yourself."

Dade took a lemonade.

Although Cavendale had stated that he wished Dade to tell about himself,
he rattled off a rambling statement of his own affairs, claiming that
he was "in on a big deal" that meant thousands to him.

"It's a snap," he asserted. "It's the greatest thing I ever struck. I'm
bound to come out with my clothes lined with money. Hated to leave New
York, but the people I'm in with are running things, and I go where they
say."

Then he shivered as he saw Dade sipping the lemonade.

"That's rotten stuff for cold weather," he said. "Gives me a chill just
to see you taking it. What happened to you, anyhow? Did you get a fit of
remorse? Old Colonel R. E. bothers me sometimes, but I take a few
bracers and he vanishes. Te