“I agree.”

So the policeman turned to his crossing and reassumed his authority over traffic, all the while never losing sight of the impromptu vender.

Many pedestrians paused.  To see a well-dressed young man hawking plaster Venuses was no ordinary sight.  They knew that some play was going on, but, with that inveterate suspicion of the city pedestrian, none of them stopped to speak or buy.  Some newsboys gathered round and offered a few suggestions.  Fitzgerald gave them back in kind.  No woman spoke, but there wasn’t one who passed that didn’t look at him with more than ordinary curiosity.  He was enjoying it.  It reminded him of the man who offered sovereigns for shillings, and never exchanged a coin.

Once he turned to see if his friends were still watching him.  They were, two among many; for the exploit had gone round, and there were other wagers being laid on the result.  While his head was turned, and his grin was directed at the club window, a handsome young woman in blue came along.  She paused, touched her lips with her gloved hand meditatingly, and then went right-about-face swiftly.  Some one in the window motioned frantically to the vender, but he did not understand.  Ten minutes left in which to win his bet.  He hadn’t made a very good bargain.  Hm!  The young woman in blue was stopping.  Her exquisite face was perfectly serious as her eyes ran over the collection on the tray.  They were all done execrably, something Fitzgerald hadn’t noticed before.

“How much are these apiece?”

“Er—­twenty-five cents, ma’am,” he stammered.  As a matter of fact he hadn’t any idea what the current price list was.

“You seem very well dressed,” doubtfully; “and you do not look hungry.”

“I am doing this for charity’s sake,” finding his wits.  The policeman hovered near, scowling.  He was powerless, since the young woman had spoken first.

“Charity,” in a half-articulated voice, as if the word to her possessed many angles, and she was endeavoring to find the proper one to fit the moment.

“What organization?”

A blank pause.  “My own, ma’am, of which I am the head.”  There was no levity in tone or expression.

By now every window in the club framed a dozen or more faces.

“I will take this Canova, I believe,” she finally decided, opening her purse and producing the necessary silver.  “Of course, it is quite impossible to send this?”

“Yes, ma’am.  Sending it would eat up all the profits.”  But, with ill-concealed eagerness, “If you will leave your address I can send as many as you like.”

“I will do that.”

Incredible as it seemed, neither face lost its repose; he dared not smile, and the young woman did not care to.  There was something familiar to his memory in the oval face, but this was no time for a diligent search.

“Hey, miss,” yelled one of the newsboys, “you’re t’rowin’ your money away.  He’s a fake; he ain’t no statoo seller.  He’s doing it for a joke!”