"Groves!" he said. "I'll show you a grove, a coconut grove"--here he
winked over his wineglass in a senile fashion--"that has apple-trees
beaten from here to Honolulu." Thus he babbled on.

All through our meal his talk continued: of _cabarets_ and dances, or
fox-trots and midnight suppers, of blondes and brunettes, "peaches" and
"dreams," and all the while his eye roved incessantly among the tables,
resting on the women with a bold stare. At times he would indicate and
point out for me some of what he called the "representative people"
present.

"Notice that man at the second table," he would whisper across to
me. "He's worth all the way to ten millions: made it in Government
contracts; they tried to send him to the penitentiary last fall but
they can't get him--he's too smart for them! I'll introduce you to him
presently. See the man with him? That's his lawyer, biggest crook in
America, they say; we'll meet him after dinner." Then he would suddenly
break off and exclaim: "Egad, sir, there's a fine bunch of them," as
another bevy of girls came trooping out upon the stage.

"I wonder," I murmured, "if there is nothing left of him but this?
Has all the fine old spirit gone? Is it all drowned out in wine and
suffocated in the foul atmosphere of luxury?"

Then suddenly I looked up at my companion, and I saw to my surprise that
his whole face and manner had altered. His hand was clenched tight on
the edge of the table. His eyes looked before him--through and beyond
the riotous crowd all about him--into vacancy, into the far past,
back into memories that I thought forgotten. His face had altered. The
senile, leering look was gone, and in its place the firm-set face of the
Knickerbocker of a century ago.

He was speaking in a strange voice, deep and strong.

"Listen," he said, "listen. Do you hear it--there--far out at
sea--ships' guns--listen--they're calling for help--ships' guns--far out
at sea!" He had clasped me by the arm. "Quick, to the Battery, they'll
need every man to-night, they'll--"

Then he sank back into his chair. His look changed again. The vision
died out of his eyes.

"What was I saying?" he asked. "Ah, yes, this old brandy, a very special
brand. They keep it for me here, a dollar a glass. They know me here,"
he added in his fatuous way. "All the waiters know me. The headwaiter
always knows me the minute I come into the room--keeps a chair for me.
Now try this brandy and then presently we'll mov