Surmounting indescribable hazards and hardships he walked the
pavement of New York. In an hour the mutable quicksands of a great
city would swallow him forever. Free! He wanted to stroll about,
peer into shop windows, watch the amazing electric signs, dally;
but he still had much to accomplish.

He searched for a telephone sign. It was necessary that he find
one immediately. He had once spent six weeks in and about this
marvellous city, and he had a vague recollection of the
blue-and-white enamel signs. Shortly he found one. It was a
pay station in the rear of a news and tobacco shop.

He entered a booth, but discovered that he had no five-cent pieces
in his purse. He hurried out to the girl behind the cigar stand.
She was exhibiting a box of cigars to a customer, who selected
three, paid for them, and walked away. Hawksley, boiling with
haste to have his affair done, flung a silver coin toward the girl.

"Five-cent pieces!"

"Will you take them with you or shall I send them?" asked the girl,
earnestly.

"I beg pardon!"

"Any particular kind of ribbon you want the box tied with?"

"I beg your pardon!" repeated Hawksley, harried and bewildered.
"But I'm in a hurry - "