“Which one, you little argumentative creature?” asked Shank.
“Why, middling-good of course.”
“Wrong!” cried her brother, “doesn’t middling-bad stand beside it, with quite as good a claim to be considered half-way? However, I won’t press my victory too far. For the sake of peace we will agree that these are semi-detached houses in one block—and that will block the subject. But, to be serious again,” he added, stopping and looking earnestly into his sister’s face, “I wanted to speak to you on this weakness—this sin—and I thank you for breaking the ice. The truth is that I have felt for a good while past that conviviality—”
“Strong drink, brother, call it by its right name,” said May, gently pressing the arm on which she leaned.
“Well—have it so. Strong drink has been getting the better of me—mind I don’t admit it has got the better of me yet—only is getting—and convivial comrades have had a great deal to do with it. Now, as you know, I’m a man of some decision of character, and I had long ago made up my mind to break with my companions. Of course I could not very well do this while—while I was—well, no matter why, but this offer just seemed to be a sort of godsend, for it will enable me to cut myself free at once, and the sea breezes and Rocky Mountain air and gold-hunting will, I expect, take away the desire for strong drink altogether.”
“I hope it will—indeed I am sure it will if it is God’s way of leading you,” said May, with an air of confidence.
“Well, I don’t know whether it is God who is leading me or—”
“Did you not call it a god-send just now—”
“Oh, but that’s a mere form of speech, you know. However, I do know that it was on this very beach where we now stand that a friend led me for the first time to think seriously of this matter—more than a year ago.”
“Indeed—who was it?” asked May eagerly.