TORCHY AND VEE BY SEWELL FORD AUTHOR OF TORCHY, THE HOUSE OF TORCHY SHORTY McCABE, Etc. GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK Copyright, 1918, 1919, by SEWELL FORD Copyright, 1919, BY EDWARD J. CLODE All rights reserved PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOREWORD In the Nature of an Alibi Some of these stories were written while the Great War was still on. So the setting and local coloring and atmosphere and all that sort of thing, such as it is, came from those strenuous days when we heroic civilians read the war extras with stern, unflinching eye, bought as many Liberty bonds as we were told we should, and subscribed to various drives as cheerfully as we might. Have you forgotten your reactions of a few short months ago? Perhaps then, these may revive your memory of some of them. You may note with