interested in the sale as though he was buying
half the articles auctioned off, although he had not enough in his
trousers pocket to even start bidding, for no bid of less than
twenty-five cents was recognized by the auctioneer in beginning a
sale.

The vase disposed of, the auctioneer's assistant brought forth from a
side shelf a piece of imitation marble statuary, representing three
doves bearing a wreath of flowers between them. The bit of bric-a-brac
looked quite nice, but as it was but imitation marble, it was not
worth more than two dollars, if as much.

"Now, here we have as fine a piece of Italian marble as was ever
brought to New York," began the auctioneer, holding up the piece in
question. "And the work upon it cannot to-day be excelled by any
sculptors on this side of the Atlantic. How beautiful are those three
doves, and how natural that wreath! Examine the piece for yourselves,
ladies and gentlemen. It is genuine Italian marble, and will not go to
pieces in your hands. There you are, sir."

The bit of statuary was handed to a gentleman who stood directly in
front of the auctioneer. He gave it a hasty glance and then started
to hand it back.

"Pass it through the crowd, please. I want every one to be convinced
of its quality before I attempt to sell it!" bawled the auctioneer,
and the gentleman handed it to the man next to him.

Thus started, the bit of bric-a-brac traveled from one hand to another
until it reached a heavy-set man with red mustache, who stood but a
couple of yards from the doorway.

"Humph!" muttered the man, as he turned over the article in contempt.
"I wouldn't give a dollar a cartload for them. Here you are!"

As he finished, he thrust the piece of bric-a-brac toward a young lady
who had just entered. She drew back in surprise, not knowing what his
action meant. The statuary left the man's hand, touched the young
lady's arm, and then fell to the floor with a crash, and was broken
into a dozen pieces.

The young lady uttered a slight shriek of surprise at the accident, and
instantly the crowd looked toward her, and then at the auctioneer.

"Here, who broke that?" demanded the auctioneer, in an entirely
different tone of voice, as he left his stand and hurried to the
spot.

"That young lady," replied a fellow who had not seen the movements of
the man with the red mustache.

"No! no! I did not do it!" cried the young lady, shrinking back. "I
did not touch the piece, sir."