shoulders hunched upward and his chin
lowered with the evident desire to prevent recognition. Simmy called out
to him. The other quickened his steps. He slouched but did not stagger, a
circumstance which caused Simmy a sharp twinge of uneasiness. He was not
intoxicated. Simmy's good sense told him that he would be more dangerous
sober than drunk, but he did not falter. At the second shout, young
Tresslyn stopped. His hands were thrust deep into his overcoat pockets.
"What do you want?" he demanded thickly, as the dapper little man came up
and extended his hand. Simmy was beaming, as if he suddenly had found a
long lost friend and comrade. George took no notice of the friendly hand.
He was staring hard, almost savagely at the other's face. Simmy was
surprised to find that his cheeks, though sunken and haggard, were cleanly
shaved, and his general appearance far from unprepossessing. In the light
from a near-by window, the face was lowering but not inflamed; the eyes
were heavy and tired-looking--but not bloodshot.
"I thought I recognised you," said Simmy glibly.
"Much obliged," said George, without the semblance of a smile.
Simmy hesitated. Then he laid his hand on George's arm. "See here, George,
this will not do. I think I know why you are here, and--it won't do, old
chap."
"If you were anybody else, Dodge, I'd beat your head off," said George
slowly, as if amazed that he had not already done so. "Better go away,
Simmy, and let me alone. I'm all right. I'm not doing any harm, am I,
standing out here?"
"What do you gain by standing here in the cold and--"
"Never mind what I gain. That's my affair," said George, his voice shaking
in spite of its forced gruffness.
Simmy was undaunted. "Have you been drinking to-night?"
"None of your damned business. What do you mean by--"
"I am your friend, George," broke in Simmy earnestly. "I can see now that
you've had a drink or two, and you--"
"I'm as sober as you are!"
"More so, I fear. I've had champagne. You--"
"I am not drunk all of the time, you know," snarled George.
"Well, I'm glad to hear it," said Simmy cheerfully.
"I hate the stuff,--hate it worse than anything on earth except being
sober. Good night, Simmy," he broke off abruptly.
"That dance in there won't be over before three o'clock," said Simmy
shrewdly. "You're in for a long wait, my lad."
George groaned. "Good Lord, is it--is it a dance? The papers said it was a
dinner for Lord a
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