It was a merry meal. He had such a way of telling things! Miss Mattie hadn't laughed so much for years, and she felt that there was no one that she had known so long and so well as Cousin Will. There was only one jarring note. Red spoke of the vigorous celebration that had been followed by the finding of gold. It was certainly well told, but Miss Mattie asked in soft horror when he had finished, "You didn't get--_intoxicated_--Will?" "DID I?" said he, lost in memory, and not noticing the tone. "Well, I put my hand down the throat of that man's town, and turned her inside out! It was like as if Christmas and Fourth of July had happened on the same day." "Oh, Will!" cried Miss Mattie, "I can't think of you like that--rolling in the gutter." Her voice shook and broke off. Her knowledge of the effect of stimulants was limited to Fairfield's one drunkard--old Tommy McKee, a disreputable old Irishman--but drunkenness was the worst vice in her world. "Rolling in the gutter!" cried Red, in astonishment. "Why girl! What for would I roll in the gutter? What's the fun in that? Jiminy Christmas! I wanted to walk on the telegraph wires--there wasn't anything in that town high enough for me--what put gutters into your head?" "I--I supposed people did that when they were--like that." "I wouldn't waste my money on whisky, if that's all the inspiration I got out of it," replied Red. "Well, of course I don't know about those things, but I wish you'd promise me one thing." "Done!" cried Red. "What is it?" "I wish you'd promise me not to touch whisky again!" "Phew! That's a pretty big order!" He stopped and thought a minute. "If you'll make that 'never touch it when it ain't needed,' leaving when it's needed to what's my idea of the square thing on a promise, I'll go you, Mattie--there's my hand." "Oh, I shouldn't have said anything at all, Will! I have no right. But it seemed such a pity such a splendid man--I mean--I think--. You mustn't promise me anything, Will," stammered Miss Mattie, shocked at her own daring. "Here!" he cried, "I'm no little kid! When I promise I mean it! As for your not having any right, ain't we all there is? You've got to be mother and sister and aunt and everything to me. I ain't as young as I have been, Mattie, and I miss she-ways terrible at times. Now put out your fin like a good pardner, and here goes for no more rhinecaboos for Chantay Seeche Red--time I quit drinking, anyhow," he slipped a ring off his little finger. "Here, hold out your hand," said he, "I'll put this on for luck, and the sake of the promise--by the same token, I've got a noose on you now, and you're my property."