Yet as Brown looked at Charley the old fascination came on him with a rush.
His hand suddenly caught Charley's as he took a cigarette, and he said: "Perhaps I'll find arsenic a good thing yet." For reply Charley laid a hand on his arm-turned him towards the shade of the houses opposite.

Without a word they crossed the street, entered the saloon, and passed to a little back room, Charley giving an unsympathetic stare to some men at the bar who seemed inclined to speak to him.
As the two passed into the small back room with the frosted door, one of the strangers said to the other: "What does he come here for, if he's too proud to speak! What's a saloon for! I'd like to smash that eye-glass for him!" "He's going down-hill fast," said the other.

"He drinks steady--steady." "Tiens--tiens!" interposed Jean Jolicoeur, the landlord.

"It is not harm to him.

He drink all day, an' he walk a crack like a bee-line." "He's got the handsomest wife in this city.