street as he walked up one side of the block without coming upon a
confectioner's. He crossed at the corner and turned back on the other
side. Presently he saw that a light van was standing before one place,
backed up against the sidewalk to receive parcels, its shuddering
horse holding its head down and bracing itself with its forelegs
against the wind. At any rate, something was going on there, and he
hurried forward to find out what it was. The air was so thick with
myriads of madly flying bits of snow, which seemed whirled in all
directions in the air, that he could not see anything definite even a
few yards away. When he reached the van he found that he had also
reached his confectioner. The sign over the window read "M. Munsberg,
Confectionery. Cakes. Ice-Cream. Weddings, Balls and Receptions."

"Made a start, anyhow," said Tembarom.

He turned into the store, opening the door carefully, and thereby
barely escaping being blown violently against a stout, excited,
middle-aged little Jew who was bending over a box he was packing.
This was evidently Mr. Munsberg, who was extremely busy, and even the
modified shock upset his temper.

"Vhere you goin'?" he cried out. "Can't you look vhere you're goin'?"

Tembarom knew this was not a good beginning, but his natural mental
habit of vividly seeing the other man's point of view helped him
after its usual custom. His nice grin showed itself.

"I wasn't going; I was coming," he said. "Beg pardon. The wind's
blowing a hundred miles an hour."