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'alcoholic : grin. Charlie. Dunn ctively recoiled from the hideous Then he arose and went close his 'pocket, 'and had peeled off He handed it to his pitiable ere's your 'money," ' he said. it's understeod that I can say hing to you that enters my mind." "he man gave an affirmative nod. You won't getup and start a fight? stioned Curtis. No," answered the man, in a shaky "Go ahead " Curtis shoved the money back into' fis pocket, "I ran into a little streak of luck to-day." he smd, as if to ex- ] his possession of so much money: 'used to hive ina "streak of luck. "things .aré different now, Say, long have you been drinking ?" en years," was the reply. ell, I must say: 'that the booze : 'en a. competent little worker. You're absolutely the most contemp- ible, rottenest-looking " bum 1. ever 'ou're the limit! You're _ not a any more You're a'beast. Ughl" ie fellow teetered forward, and his 3, opened. as if to protest. In lowest of us: - there is a spark of mashood: ButCurtis held up a-hand palm front. I "You promised to let me bawl you out all 1 pleased for that dollar bill' 1 j 10 Stick to your bar- one the broken, wrecked George Sometimes one of the alert, ; dealers would explain to ari in: Bs 4 Slowly the outcast sank back in his chair, and his attitude became submis- sive, . Charlie Dunn, across the court, realized that he was witnessing a va- gary of a man who bad won_commer- cial fame and a high salary because he had made it a point to do the" un- the - 'originial; George Curtis had doubtless run across his compan- ion somewhere in the streets, And for some: reason he wished to scold and abuse him, - Dunn drew a chair to his window. and seated © himself to watch the strange scene work out. "You're clear gone," Ciirtis went on, "You are a ruin, 4 ot, 'a thing that Nar men" kick.' T suppose you: were a days: in miserable |; bbing ett you. couldn't believe: that now yourself, or 'make anybod se believe-it. You've hit The man muttered: "1 was suc- cessful once My wife ran away with another man. It broke my .heart-- and m ; it an' uncer- occasional rising work hisky-fogged mttently, After these strokes yes," sneered Curtis, "there's always an excuse. 1t's easy to blame things ro now. I'm disgusted with. myself, and T'll be-more disgusted as the years go by." I wanted to tell myself what I think of myself -- what I'm going. to think of myself. Maybe you can't und- erstand that: If you can't; I can. Have a little drink ; He went to wardrobe, and brought forth a quart bottle of whisky. It was almost full, From a bureau drawer he produced two glasses, and set them on the buread, within easy reach of his visitor. The vagabond eagerly picked his up, held it out, apd waited for the red gush from the bottle. -Cur- tis filled both glasses. The frowzy one gulped his potion, and leanedback in his chair content- edly, © "That's good stuff I" he com- mented. Curtis said nothing. He again slipped" his hands into his pockets, and stared at his companion. Then he looked at tl.e whisky in the remain- ing glass. ) "I have no reason like yours, said at length. "I have had no great trouble. Things went too well with me. I guess that's all there is to it. I was what they call a good fellow. I believe that I worked too hard at the jo." He began to walk up and down the floor, Several times he paused BETofe the glass of * poison which awaited him, but did not touch it. Al- ways his eyes were on the human ruin who occupied the lone chairin his room. A fascinated gleam came into his eyes. And he walked and walked. The man in the chair offered a suggestion. "I. could stand a little more of that stuff," he said. Curtis poured more of the red li- quid into the empty glass. "Drink it," he said, "and then get out." 'You got your money's worth?" asked the man anxiously. "Yes," aepled Curtis; "and I want to be alone now." . The fellow grinned "I get you,' he tittered. "You're one .of those solitary drunkards. - You sit up alone with a bottle. That's the worst kind. He gulped his whisky, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand; and stumbled to his "feet. "I'll ramble along." To-night I'll sleep in a flop house. That's better than the park benches. And I'll have something to wake up with." Unsteadily he made for the door. Curtfs closed it after him, and drop- 'ped into. the vacant chair. He sat there a long time, grew tired at his vigil, and was about to leave his chair when Curtis leaped suddenly to his feet. * He. went over to the glass. of liguor, picked it up, and lgoked 'dtit. Then be put it | down again, started at it,.and" smiled. He went back to his chair, and be- came absorbed in thought. Soon he went to the bureau and looked at "the glass of whisky, 'Afterward he He chair again, but he did not watched like a man under a- ha his window Charlie Dunn He " he | his face seemed to deepen. Charlie Dunn| "I'm not playing the game," he ex» claimed. - "I'haven"t got all the props on the stage." Going to the bureau, he caught up the empty glass, held it gingerly between thumb and forefinger; as if in disgust at its Jate foul' posses- sion, an rinsed it in his water pitcher. Then he half filled it with water, and set it beside the glass of whisky. "Now I've got the chaser-- every- thing's complete." Placing the bottle behind the two tumblers, he "agath went to his chair, and looked at the outfit. He tried to smile; but Charlie Dunn saw the expression end in 2 nervous contortion. Cuttis was suff ering the awful mentai and bodily tor- tureof an alcoholic abruptly deprived of his stimulant. An hour passed Three times dur+ ing that period the fighting man ap- proached his enemy, Once he lifted the glass of liquor, deliberately sniffed the contents. and, with a slow-moving arm, put it from him. The lines fn His lips became almost colorless. As 'Charle Dunn watched Curtis win that skirmish, he became so en- thusiastic that he muttered in a tone almost loud enough to carry across "the court: "Snappy work, >ld man} Keep it up 1" i Curtis kept it up, At two o'cloek he was walking the floor with hands { clenching and unclenching. At half after two he suddenly stopped, raised his arms in the air, and an agonized cry came from his lips. Totteringly he approached his nar- row bed, and threw himself upon it, face down. Charlie Dunn heard him groan several times. After another hour had elapsed Charlie went to bed, for he could hear easy snoring in ths room. across the court. Curtis had won the first round, but the morrow would come, and the témpting bottle: and glasses would be the first things the fighter would see when he awoke. (To be continued next week) A Prodigal By the late Pauline Johnson. My heart forgot its God fo: love of you And you forgot me, other loves to learn; Now through a wilderness of thorn and rue Back to my God I turn. . And just because my God. forgets the past, And in forgetting does 'not ask to know Why I once left His arms fcr yours, at last ' Back to my God I go. Consideration for Others One.of the strongest faotors for, giv: ing happiness is to put ourselves * in the other person's place; "and att as we would wish them to act toward us. Our little acts of kindness will add to the happiness of others just as surely as.our selfish acts will make theirlives a little harder. Fo Cia 'Lack of consideration is common. 'We may think we have received poor service in store or railway coach, and There's something higher than justice; t's mercy. © ; ¥ In the railway car we open: the car ndow! matt-behind gets the draught inders. It ie the same in and enjoy the cooling * breeze % ¥