embarrassing. He halted and smiled. His smile was pleasant, but
entirely vague. In the few minutes I was with him, I learned that
it was no sign that he was secretly pleased. It was merely his
expression. It was as though a photographer had said: "Smile,
please," and he had smiled.

When he joined us, out of deference to the young lady I raised my
hat, but the youth did not seem to think that outward show of
respect was necessary, and kept his hands in his pockets. Neither
did he cease smoking. His first remark to the lovely lady somewhat
startled me.

"Have you got a brass bed in your room?" he asked. The beautiful
lady said she had.

"So've I," said the young man. "They do you rather well, don't
they? And it's only three dollars. How much is that?"

"Four times three would be twelve," said the lady. "Twelve
shillings."

The young man was smoking a cigarette in a long amber cigarette-
holder. I never had seen one so long. He examined the end of his
cigarette-holder, and, apparently surprised and relieved at finding
a cigarette there, again smiled contentedly.

The lovely lady pointed at the marble shaft rising above Madison
Square.

"That is the tallest sky-scraper," she said, "in New York." I had