quite know what, he had had large ideas at one time; they had had to be diminished once because five pounds will not do as much as twenty; they had to be diminished again because he had been fleeced of so much of the five pounds.  A wave of anger shook him as he thought of that, but he suppressed it; he felt that he must not give way, so he looked steadily at the window.  There were furs displayed there, muffs and collarettes of skunk and other animals, even the humble rabbit artistically treated to meet the insatiable female appetite for sable at all prices.  The Captain decided on the best collarette displayed and turned towards the shop door feeling a little better in the glow of benevolence that returned to him as he thought of how much he was going to spend for Julia.  Just as he was going in he caught sight of a girl selling violets in the street.  She was a good-looking impudent girl, and catching his eye she pressed her wares on him glibly; he hesitated, smiled—­here was one who treated him as a man, who considered it worth while.  He looked defiantly at the passers by—­he was a man, not an object for curiosity or kindly contempt.  He returned the girl’s glance with an ogle and, stepping as jauntily as he could to the edge of the pavement, took a bunch of flowers with some suitable pleasantry.  Half-way through his remark he stopped dead; he had felt in his pocket for a penny and found nothing.  Quickly, feverishly, almost desperately, he felt in the other pocket; there were three coins there; by the size he could tell that one at least was a penny; he took it out and gave it to the girl; he had not the courage to put down the flowers and go without them.  Then he turned away.  A narrow passage ran down between the draper’s and the next house; fewer people went that way and in the window there, common and less expensive goods were displayed.  The Captain went down the foot-way and examined the two remaining coins.  They were a shilling and a penny.

People passed and repassed along the main road; carts and carriages rumbled over the uneven stones; no one heeded the shabby hopeless figure by the side window.  They were lighting up in the draper’s though outside there was still daylight; the gas jets were considered to make the place look more attractive.  They shone warmly on the furs and silk scarves in the front window, making them look rich and luxurious.  Two girls stopped to look in; then, their means being more suitable to the goods there, they came to examine the side window.  They were two servants out for the afternoon; they wore winter coats open over summer dresses and hats that might be called autumnal, seeing that they were an ingenious blending of the best that was left from the headgear of both seasons.

“I shall get one of them woolly neck things, I shall,” one said; “they’re quite as nice as fur and not so dear.”

The other could not agree.  “Don’t care about them myself,” she said; “I must say I like a bit of sable.”