A little girl of twelve came up timidly to the man reading and resting by the window, and said: 

“Papa, won’t you play a game of checkers with me if you aren’t too tired?”

The red-haired, unshaven, untidy man sitting shoeless by the window answered, with a frown.

“Checkers.  No, I won’t.  Can’t a man who works hard all day have a little rest when he comes home?  Why don’t you go out and play with the other kids on the sidewalk?”

The woman who was cooking came to the door.

“John,” she said, “I don’t like for Lizzie to play in the street.  They learn too much there that ain’t good for ’em.  She’s been in the house all day long.  It seems that you might give up a little of your time to amuse her when you come home.”

“Let her go out and play like the rest of ’em if she wants to be amused,” said the red-haired, unshaven, untidy man, “and don’t bother me.”

* * * * * * *

“You’re on,” said Kid Mullaly.  “Fifty dollars to $25 I take Annie to the dance.  Put up.”

The Kid’s black eyes were snapping with the fire of the baited and challenged.  He drew out his “roll” and slapped five tens upon the bar.  The three or four young fellows who were thus “taken” more slowly produced their stake.  The bartender, ex-officio stakeholder, took the money, laboriously wrapped it, recorded the bet with an inch-long pencil and stuffed the whole into a corner of the cash register.

“And, oh, what’ll be done to you’ll be a plenty,” said a bettor, with anticipatory glee.

“That’s my lookout,” said the “Kid,” sternly.  “Fill ’em up all around, Mike.”

After the round Burke, the “Kid’s” sponge, sponge-holder, pal, Mentor and Grand Vizier, drew him out to the bootblack stand at the saloon corner where all the official and important matters of the Small Hours Social Club were settled.  As Tony polished the light tan shoes of the club’s President and Secretary for the fifth time that day, Burke spake words of wisdom to his chief.

“Cut that blond out, ‘Kid,’” was his advice, “or there’ll be trouble.  What do you want to throw down that girl of yours for?  You’ll never find one that’ll freeze to you like Liz has.  She’s worth a hallful of Annies.”

“I’m no Annie admirer!” said the “Kid,” dropping a cigarette ash on his polished toe, and wiping it off on Tony’s shoulder.  “But I want to teach Liz a lesson.  She thinks I belong to her.  She’s been bragging that I daren’t speak to another girl.  Liz is all right—­in some ways.  She’s drinking a little too much lately.  And she uses language that a lady oughtn’t.”

“You’re engaged, ain’t you?” asked Burke.

“Sure.  We’ll get married next year, maybe.”

“I saw you make her drink her first glass of beer,” said Burke.  “That was two years ago, when she used to came down to the corner of Chrystie bare-headed to meet you after supper.  She was a quiet sort of a kid then, and couldn’t speak without blushing.”