ssion of Dallas is wholly delightful." He seated himself in
a padded boudoir chair, unfolded a snowy serviette and attacked his
breakfast with the enthusiasm of a perfectly healthy animal.

"Is this your first visit here, sir?"

"Absolutely. Dallas is as foreign to me as Lhasa. It is the Baghdad of
my dreams and its streets are strange. Perhaps they are full of
adventure for me. I hope so. Anything exciting can happen in a town
where one has neither friends nor acquaintances, eh? You are a
well-read man, I take it."

"I? Why--"

"At any rate, you have heard it said that this is a small world."

"Yes, sir."

"Good! I merely wish to deny authorship of the saying, for it is false.
This is a large world. What is more, it is a world full of cities like
Dallas where men like you and me, Heaven be praised, have neither
friends, acquaintances, nor relatives. In that respect, it is a fine
world and we should devoutly give thanks for its Dallases and
its--Dalsatians. Jove! This ham is delicious!"

The waiter was accustomed to "morning talkers," but this gentleman was
different. He had an air of consequence, and his voice, so deep, so
well modulated, so pleasant, invested him with unusual distinction.
Probably he was an actor! But no! Not in the Governor's suite. More
likely he was one of the big men of the Standard, or the Gulf, or the
Texas. To make sure, the waiter inquired:

"May I ask if you are in oil, sir?"

"In oil? Bless me, what a nauseating question--at this hour of the day!"

"'Most everybody here is in oil. We turn dozens away every day, we're
that full. It's the boom. I'm in oil myself--in a small way, of course.
It's like this: sometimes gentlemen like--well, like you, sir--give me
tips. They drop a hint, like, about their stocks, and I've done
well--in a small way, of course. It doesn't cost them anything
and--some of them are very kind. You'd really be surprised."

"Oh, not at all." The occupant of the Governor's suite leaned back in
his chair and smiled widely. "As a matter of fact, I am flattered, for
it is evident that you are endowed with the money-making instinct and
that you unerringly recognize it in others. Very well, I shall see what
I can do for you. But while we are on the subject of tips, would you
mind helping yourself to a dollar out of my trousers pocket?"

The waiter proceeded to do as directed, but a moment later announced,
apologetically: "Here's all I find, sir. It's mostly pennies