Her uncle, readily entering into the spirit of the affair, dived into a
pocket and produced the piece of silver. It looked as if I were caught.

"There! this may make it worth your while," the girl said, shoving the
coin in my direction.

But again I managed to slide under; I was not to be caught.

"It is my regret to say,"--frowning slightly, "that regularity in my
business is everything. It wants half an hour for my turn to come on.
If I tried a trick out of turn, I might foozle and lose prestige. And
besides, I depend so much upon the professor and his introductory
notes: 'Ladies and gents, permit me to introduce the world-renowned
Signor Fantoccini, whose marvelous tricks have long puzzled all the
crowned heads of Europe--'"

"Fantoccini,"--musingly. "That's Italian for puppet show."

"I know it, but the dime-museum visitors do not. It makes a fine
impression."

She laughed and slid the dime back to her uncle.

"I'm afraid you are an impostor," she said.

"I'm afraid so, too," I confessed, laughing.

Then the comedy came to an end by the appearance of our separate
orders. I threw aside the cards and proceeded to attack my dinner, for
I was hungry. From time to time I caught vague fragments of