, southward. It was the time of day when the city, as it were,
stretches itself after its siesta and takes long, lazy, satisfied
looks at itself.

Joe slumped in the seat. This lazy panorama had not begun to pall on
him. He luxuriated in it. It was something of a holiday to him. The
change that had come over his life was inexplicable; without effort he
had lifted himself. The selection of an occupation had been haphazard;
he had merely taken the first thing that had offered itself--selling
automobiles. And there had been no difficulty in selling them, none
whatever. The very first month his commissions had amounted to
considerably more than twice the sum Bromley's had paid him.

The motor was thrumming along slowly and regularly, giving out soft
little ticks like a clock. Everything about it was shining and new.
Everything about Joe was shining and new. He felt sleek, lazy, and
comfortable. He made no effort to analyze the change that had come
over him, merely accepted it as a matter of course. At times would
come vague wonderings why he had been such a "chump" as to hang on in
that treadmill of an office as long as he had.

He thought about the old woman and her grenadier bonnet and her
bewildered pleasure, and chuckled to himself. The old soul had
probably never been in an automobile before. He had raised the
standard of her desires. She might not be satisfied again until she
had another ride, maybe many more. It might even stir her up. That
was what it was. Ignorance was what kept most people down. They did
not know what they were missing. And so they just plugged along taking
things as they came, most of them. That was what had been the matter
with him. Hard work never got a man anywhere, just hard work. He shut
his mind resolutely on the thought and turned again to the inspection
of the evening parade.

As he came in sight of the windows of Bessire's Department Store he
remembered that there was something there that he needed. And there
was no need of his hurrying back to the office. He had done enough for
the day. So he turned the corner and squeezed into an opening on the
side street. He stepped out on to the pavement and indulged in a
luxurious stretch of the arms. The sudden glare of the sun on the
pavement made him sneeze. It was delightful. He walked lazily through
the revolving doors of the department store.

As he gained the interior a woman brushed past him so that he had to
stop in his tracks. As sh