ng of that
nature. He was as full of quip and jest as ever, and none was in
higher or more buoyant spirits than he.

He suddenly called:

"Dawson, what time is it?"

The latest comer among them carried a watch which he drew out and
examined.

"It is exactly half-past nine."

"When did my punishment begin?"

"A week ago to-night, precisely at this hour; I began to fear that you
had forgotten it."

"No danger of my ever forgetting it," grimly responded Ruggles; "what
I want to know is whether I have served out my full term."

"You have unquestionably."

"Is there anyone here disposed to dispute this statement?" asked Wade,
standing very erect and looking around in the faces of his friends.

No one interposed an objection. He had not only the sympathy but the
respect of every one.

"You sarved your time like a man," remarked Ike Hoe; "the week is up
and you've give good measure."

"Which the same being the case, I invite all to come forward and
liquidate."

Never was an invitation responded to with more enthusiasm. The
grinning Ortigies set out a couple of bottles, intending as a matter
of course to join in the celebration. He feelingly remarked:

"Wade, my heart bled for you and thar ain't a pard here that wouldn't
have been willing to take your place--that is for a limited time," the
landlord hastened to add.

Each tumbler was half-filled with the fiery stuff and all looked in
smiling expectancy at their host to give the cue. He poured a small
quantity into his glass, and elevating it almost to a level with his
lips, looked over the top.

"Are you ready, pards? here goes."

Up went every glass and down went the stuff. But there was one
exception. While the glass was at his lips, and while the familiar
odor was in his nostrils, Wade Ruggles deliberately inverted the
tumbler and emptied the contents on the floor.

It was the strangest incident that had ever occurred in New
Constantinople.

CHAPTER VI

TEACHER AND PUPIL

The group looked at Wade Ruggles in breathless amazement. He had
invited them to the bar to join in celebrating his release from
thralldom; all had filled their glasses and he had raised his own to
his lips, though several noticed that there was only a small amount of
liquid in the tumbler. Then, when every glass was upraised and there
was a general gurgling, he had turned his glass upside down and
spilled every drop on the floor.

Before anyone could think of suitab