"I look at Broun and I suppose I tremble a little myself. Who wouldn't?
Two thousand dollars! 'Max,' says Broun, 'We go around the world together.
And I saw a suit today and a cane I must have.'

"But we couldn't talk. We walk slowly to the beer saloon. We walk already
like plutocrats, arm in arm, and our faces with a faraway look. We are
spending the two thousand, you can imagine.

"The saloon is burning fine. Everything is going up in smoke. Broun and I,
we hold on to each other. We see Jo Davidson running to the fire and we
nod at him politely. Money makes a big difference, you know.

"And then we hear a cry. I recognize Schneider and I see him break loose
from the crowd. He runs back into the burning saloon, a fireman after him.
Broun and I, we stand and watch. He is probably gone after one of his
kids. But I count the kids who are all in the street and they are all
there.

"Then Schneider comes out and the fireman, too. And they are carrying
something. Broun falls against the delicatessen store window and groans.
And I close my eyes. Yes, it is the picture.

"Schneider sees us and comes rushing. He is half burned up. But the
picture is not touched. He and the fireman hand us the picture. As for me,
I turn away and I lose command of the English language.

"'You boys trusted me,' says Schneider, 'and I remembered just in time. I
remembered your picture. I may not be an artist, but I don't let a
masterpiece burn up. Not in my saloon. So I save it. It is the only thing