"Well, between you and me, he does."
"Does he use these?" said Arthur, lifting a few of the cards, and letting them fall slowly through his fingers.
"Well, sometimes he does one thing, sometimes another; you see this is a very extensive establishment, and sometimes he drinks in the saloon, sometimes gambles in here, and sometimes passes the evening up stairs with the ladies, and occasionally does all in the course of an evening. He's a fine fellow, I tell you; a fast un, though."
"What ladies are in the house, the family of the man out yonder?"
"Ha! ha! ha!" roared Quirk, uproariously; "what a prime innocent it is, though. Why, my boy, this is one of the fashionable establishments of the city."
A glow of shame crossed Arthur's cheek, as the truth flashed upon his mind, and dashing his glass angrily down, blushing at the thought of being led into such a place, he was about to pass out of the door.
"Why, hold on, Pratt; have you forgotten what you came here for? You haven't told me a word of what you were going to."
"Nor shall I in this hole," returned Arthur, laying his
hand upon the door-key; "if you want to hear it you must get out of here."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Quirk, trying to detain him; "hold on till we finish this bottle."