He stopped abruptly, because he saw what was happening to me.
The next thing I knew was his arm across my shoulders, which were shaking as if I was in convulsions.
“That’s all right, old boy,” I heard him whisper in my ear. “Just go up to the bath-room and lock the door and have it out. It’ll do you good. The fellows in there won’t notice you, because lots of them go through the same thing themselves.” Still with his arm across my shoulders he steered me toward the hall. “There you are! You’ll be better when you come down. We’re just boys together, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Only, when you see other fellows come in through the week—we have two or three new ones every day—you’ll bear with them, won’t you? And help them to take a brace.”
He was still patting me tenderly on the back as with head bowed and shoulders heaving I began to stumble up-stairs.
CHAPTER V
My acquaintance with Ralph Coningsby was the hinge on which my destiny turned. A hinge is a small thing as compared with a door, and so was my friendship with Coningsby in proportion to the rest of my life; but it became its cardinal point.
I met him first at the meeting of the club at which the Scotchman and the piano-mover presented themselves for membership. As to the five outsiders whom Lovey and I had found on arriving, Christian’s prediction was verified. Three went out when their week was over and they had got sobered up. Two stayed behind to go on with the work of reform. At the end of another week each stood up with his next friend, as a bridegroom with his best man, and asked to be taken into fellowship.