is tone, a dominant
ferocity.

Presently the line of purchasers thinned out. The Vitalizing Mixture had
exhausted its market. But only part of the crowd had contributed to the
levy. Mainly it was the men, whom the "spiel" had lured. Now for the
women. The voice, the organ of a genuine artist, took on a new cadence,
limpid and tender.

"And now, we come to the sufferings of those who bear pain with the
fortitude of the angels. Our women-folk! How many here are hiding that
dreadful malady, cancer? Hiding it, when help and cure are at their beck
and call. Lady," he bent swiftly to the slattern under the torch and his
accents were a healing effluence, "with my soothing, balmy oils, you can
cure yourself in three weeks, or your money back."

"I do' know haow you knew," faltered the woman. "I ain't told no one
yet. Kinder hoped it wa'n't thet, after all."

He brooded over her compassionately. "You've suffered needlessly. Soon
it would have been too late. The Vitalizing Mixture will keep up your
strength, while the soothing, balmy oils drive out the poison, and heal
up the sore. Three and a half for the two. Thank you. And is there some
suffering friend who you can lead to the light?"

The woman hesitated. She moved out to the edge of the crowd, and spoke
earnestly to a younger woman, whose comely face was scarred with the
chiseling of sleeplessness.

"Joe, he wouldn't let me," protested the younger woman. "He'd say 't was
a waste."

"But ye'll be cured," cried the other in exaltation. "Think of it. Ye'll
sleep again o' nights."

The woman's hand went to her breast, with a piteous gesture. "Oh, my
God! D'yeh think it could be true?" she cried.

"Accourse it's true! Didn't yeh hear whut he sayed? Would he dast swear
to it if it wasn't true?"

Tremulously the younger woman moved forward, clutching her shawl about
her.

"Could yeh sell me half a bottle to try it, sir?" she asked.

The vender shook his head. "Impossible, my dear madam. Contrary to my
fixed professional rule. But, I'll tell you what I will do. If, in three
days you're not better, you can have your money back."

She began painfully to count out her coins. Reaching impatiently for his
price, the Professor found himself looking straight into the eyes of the
well-dressed stranger.

"Are you going to take that woman's money?"

The question was low-toned but quite clear. An uneasy twitching beset
the corners of the professional brow. For just the frac