pushing aside with one's umbrella; but this girl I noticed because she
was gazing at the club windows. She had stood thus for perhaps ten
minutes, when I became aware that some one was leaning over me, to look
out at the window. I turned round. Conceive my indignation on seeing
that the rude person was William.

"How dare you, William?" I said, sternly. He seemed not to hear me. Let
me tell, in the measured words of one describing a past incident, what
then took place. To get nearer the window, he pressed heavily on my
shoulder.

"William, you forget yourself!" I said, meaning--as I see now--that he
had forgotten me.

I heard him gulp, but not to my reprimand. He was scanning the street.
His hands chattered on my shoulders, and, pushing him from me, I saw
that his mouth was agape.

"What are you looking for?" I asked.

He stared at me, and then, like one who had at last heard the echo of
my question, seemed to be brought back to the club. He turned his face
from me for an instant, and answered, shakily:

"I beg your pardon, sir! I--I shouldn't have done it. Are the bananas
too ripe, sir?"

He recommended the nuts, and awaited my verdict so anxiously while I
ate one that I was about to speak graciously, when I again saw his eyes
drag him to the window.

"William," I said, my patience giving way at last; "I dislike being
waited on by a melancholy waiter."

"Yes, sir," he replied, trying to smile, and then broke out
passionately, "For God's sake, sir, tell me, have you seen a little
girl looking in at the club windows?"

He had been a good waiter once, and his distracted visage was spoiling
my dinner.

"There," I said, pointing to the girl, and no doubt would have added
that he must bring me coffee immediately, had he continued to listen.
But already he was beckoning to the child. I had not the least interest
in her (indeed it had never struck me that waiters had private affairs,
and I still think it a pity that they should have); but as I happened
to be looking out at the window I could not avoid seeing what occurred.
As soon as the girl saw William she ran into the middle of the street,
regardless of vehicles, and nodded three times to him. Then she
disappeared.

I have said that she was quite a common child, without attraction of
any sort, and yet it was amazing the difference she made in William. He
gasped relief, like one who has broken through the anxiety that checks
breathing, and into his face the