second-rate down-town club, to the kind of folks that quit New York at
Easter and don't come back until the snow flies again. They don't squint
too close at a title in that crowd, you know.

First thing the Baron hears, of course, is about the Drowsy Drop dollars
and the girl that's got 'em. He don't lose any time after that in makin'
up to Sadie. He freezes to her like a Park Row wuxtree boy does to a
turkey drumstick at a newsies' Christmas dinner, and for Pinckney and
the rest of 'em it was as good as a play.

"Huh!" says I. "You're easy pleased, ain't you? But I want to tell you
that it grouches me a lot to think that Sadie'd fall for any such
wad-huntin' party as that."

"What ho!" says Pinckney. "Here's a complication that we hadn't
suspected."

"Meanin' which?" says I.

"Perhaps it would be better to postpone that explanation," says he;
"but I sympathize with your state of mind, Shorty. However, what's done
is done, and meanwhile the Baron is waiting."

"It wouldn't surprise me none," says I, "to hear that that's his trade.
But say, what kind of a steer is it that brings him to me? I ain't got
that straight yet."

Pinckney goes on to say as how the foreign style of negotiatin' for a
girl is more or less of a business proposition; and that Sadie, not
havin' any old folks handy to make the deal, and maybe not havin' the
game clear in her own mind, shoves him my way, just off-hand.

"To be sure," says Pinckney, "whatever arrangements you may happen to
make will not be binding, but they will satisfy the Baron. So just act
as if you had full authority, and we'll see if there are any little
details that he wants to mention."

Sure enough, there was. He handed 'em to me easy; oh, nice and easy! He
didn't want much for a starter--just a trifle put within easy reach
before the knot was tied, a mere matter of ten million francs.

"No Jims nor Joes?" says I.

"The Baron is accustomed to reckoning in francs," says Pinckney. "He
means two million dollars."

"Two million cases?" says I, catchin' my breath. Well, say! I had to
take another look at him. If I could think as well of myself as that I
wouldn't ask no better.

"Patchouli," says I, "you're too modest. You shouldn't put yourself on
the bargain counter like that."

The Baron looks like I'd said somethin' to him in Chinese.

"The professor thinks that demand is quite reasonable, considering all
things," says Pinckney.

And that went with the Baron.