"What 'f I do?"
"You'll be sorry for it!"
"Gimme back shtuff 'n' I won't touch her."
"No! You must play this piece through without another drink. Have a little sense. If you take any more whisky, you will get down, and that will wreck the play. Do you want to do that? Haven't I always treated you right, Mr. Lee?"
The inebriate hesitated, and then he slowly said:
"Yesh, always treated me fine—fine. Gen'leman, Mr. Merriwell—'swhat you are! Never misushed me till now."
"I am not misusing you now, Mr. Lee; I'm simply keeping you from ruining the play to-night. You have cast reason to the winds, and you are proceeding to get drunk as quickly as you can. If you have the least consideration for me, you will hold up here and now."
"All ri'; I'll hold up. Gimme shtuff."
"I will keep that, just to make sure. You can't object, if you really mean to stop drinking."
"Might need just one little snifter more."