er."

The dignity vanished from Mr. Tobin's face, and the stiffness of
demeanor fell from him instantly.

"Do you know Dan?" asked he, eagerly. "Ah, there is the lad for you. A
credit to his country and to his name. Faith, he is the best judge of
whiskey in the city, and has a heart as large and as mellow as a
barrel of it."

"If it would not be putting you about in any way, we'd like a few
moments in private with you."

At once Mr. Tobin touched a button. A young man presented himself, and
to him the conducting of the house was transferred for the time being.
Then the two friends were led into a small sitting-room, where chairs
were placed for them, and Mr. Tobin seated himself opposite them with
some expectation.

"Since I became manager here," explained he, "I seldom hear of any of
the old lads. Ye see, it's so far from the center of the city,"
regretfully, "they seldom get along this way, so they do."

"Yes, I suppose they cling to their old haunts," said Ashton-Kirk.
"Dan sticks to his school of boxing these days, pretty closely. I
often drop in for a round or two with him. He's as clever as ever, but
he's slowing up."

Tobin shook his white head sadly.

"Tut, tut, tut," said he. "And do you tell me that! Faith, he's a
young man yet--not much over sixty--and what call have he to be takin'
on the ways and manners of age? Even as late as the last year of the
Coffin Club he was as swift as the light."

"He frequently spoke of that club to me," observed the other. "A queer
place, I understand."

Tobin nodded.

"Queer enough," he answered, "and the members was as queer in some
ways. Nothing would do them, but they must spend their time
underground, sitting at tables shaped like coffins, and drinking their
liquor out of mugs shaped like skulls. I was steward there a long
time, and got good pay; but I never approved of the notion. It always
seemed like divilment to me, did that."

"Some very well known people frequented it, did they not?"

"Many's the time I've seen the governor of the state himself, sitting
there with a mug in his fist. The liquors was of the best, do you
see," with a pleased light in his eyes. "I know that, for it were
meself that selected them. And a good sup of drink is a great
attraction, so it is."

"I don't think that can be successfully denied," admitted the
investigator. "Some very brilliant men have proved it to their
sorrow."

"True for ye," said Tobin. "Don't I know it? W