park a hundred nights as calm as a graven
image without knowing where my breakfast was to come from. But now
it's different. I love money, Dawson--I'm happy as a god when it's
trickling through my fingers, and people are bowing to me, with the
music and the flowers and fine clothes all around. As long as I knew
I was out of the game I didn't mind. I was even happy sitting here
ragged and hungry, listening to the fountain jump and watching the
carriages go up the avenue. But it's in reach of my hand again
now--almost--and I can't stand it to wait twelve hours, Dawson--I
can't stand it. There are fifty things that could happen to me--I
could go blind--I might be attacked with heart disease--the world
might come to an end before I could--"

Ide sprang to his feet again, with a shriek. People stirred on the
benches and began to look. Vallance took his arm.

"Come and walk," he said, soothingly. "And try to calm yourself.
There is no need to become excited or alarmed. Nothing is going to
happen to you. One night is like another."

"That's right," said Ide. "Stay with me, Dawson--that's a good
fellow. Walk around with me awhile. I never went to pieces like this
before, and I've had a good many hard knocks. Do you think you could
hustle something in the way of a little lunch, old man? I'm afraid my
nerve's too far gone to try any panhandling."

Vallance led his companion up almost deserted Fifth Avenue, and
then westward along the Thirties toward Broadway. "Wait here a few
minutes," he said, leaving Ide in a quiet and shadowed spot. He
entered a familiar hotel, and strolled toward the bar quite in his
old assured way.

"There's a poor devil outside, Jimmy," he said to the bartender, "who
says he's hungry and looks it. You know what they do when you give
them money. Fix up a sandwich or two for him; and I'll see that he
doesn't throw it away."

"Certainly, Mr. Vallance," said the bartender. "They ain't all fakes.
Don't like to see anybody go hungry."

He folded a liberal supply of the free lunch into a napkin. Vallance
went with it and joined his companion. Ide pounced upon the food
ravenously. "I haven't had any free lunch as good as this in a year,"
he said. "Aren't you going to eat any, Dawson?

"I'm not hungry--thanks," said Vallance.

"We'll go back to the Square," said Ide. "The cops won't bother us
there. I'll roll up the rest of this ham and stuff for our breakfast.
I won't eat any more; I'm afraid I'll get