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more pleasing to her day by day。 And why had he left her to dine alone？
But here he was coming again； now coatless； his snowy shirt…sleeves
rolled high above his Jeffries… onian elbows； a white yachting cap perched
upon his jetty curls。
〃'Tonio！ 'Tonio！〃 shouted many； and 〃The spaghetti！ The spaghetti！〃
shouted the rest。
Never at 'Tonio's did a waiter dare to serve a dish of spaghetti until
'Tonio came to test it； to prove the sauce and add the needful dash of
seasoning that gave it perfection。
From table to table moved 'Tonio； like a prince in his palace； greeting
his guests。 White； jewelled bands signalled him from every side。
A glass of wine with this one and that； smiles for all； a jest and
repartee for any that might challenge truly few princes could be so
agreeable a host！ And what artist could ask for further appreciation of his
handiwork？ Katy did not know that the proudest consummation of a New
Yorker's ambition is to shake bands with a spaghetti chef or to receive a
nod from a Broadway head…waiter。
At last the company thinned； leaving' but a few couples and quartettes
lingering over new wine and old stories。 And then came Mr。 Brunelli to
Katy's secluded table； and drew a chair close to hers。
Katy smiled at him dreamily。 She was eating the last spoonful of a
raspberry roll with Burgundy sauce。
〃You have seen！〃 said Mr。 Brunelli； laying one hand upon his collar
bone。 〃I am Antonio Brunelli！ Yes； I am the great 'Tonio！ You have not
suspect that！ I loave you； Katy； and you shall marry with me。 Is it not so？
Call me 'Antonio；' and say that you will be mine。〃
Katy's head drooped to the shoulder that was now freed from all
suspicion of having received the knightly accolade。
〃Oh； Andy；〃 she sighed； 〃this is great！ Sure； I'll marry wid ye。 But why
didn't ye tell me ye was the cook？ I was near turnin' ye down for bein' one
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of thim foreign counts！〃
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FROM EACH ACCORDING TO
HIS ABILITY
Vuyning left his club； cursing it softly； without any particular anger。
From ten in the morning un… til eleven it had bored him immeasurably。
Kirk with his fish story； Brooks with his Porto Rico cigars； old Morrison
with his anecdote about the widow； Hep… burn with his invariable luck at
billiards all these afflictions had been repeated without change of bill or
scenery。 Besides these morning evils Miss Allison had refused him again
on the night before。 But that was a chronic trouble。 Five times she had
laughed at his offer to make her Mrs。 Vuyning。 He intended to ask her
again the next Wednesday evening。
Vuyning walked along Forty…fourth Street to Broadway； and then
drifted down the great sluice that washes out the dust of the gold…mines of
Gotham。 He wore a morning suit of light gray； low； dull kid shoes； a plain；
finely woven straw hat； and his visible linen was the most delicate
possible shade of belio… trope。 His necktie was the blue…gray of a Novem…
ber sky； and its knot was plainly the outcome of a lordly carelessness
combined with an accurate con… ception of the most recent dictum of
fashion。
Now； to write of a man's haberdashery is a worse thing than to write a
historical novel 〃around〃 Paul Jones； or to pen a testimonial to a hay…fever
cure。
Therefore； let it be known that the description of Vuyning's apparel is
germane to the movements of the story； and not to make room for the new
fall stock of goods。
Even Broadway that morning was a discord in Vuyning's ears； and in
his eyes it paralleled for a few dreamy； dreary minutes a certain howling；
scorching； seething； malodorous slice of street that he remembered in
Morocco。 He saw the struggling mass of dogs； beggars； fakirs； slave…
drivers and veiled women in carts without horses； the sun blazing brightly
among the bazaars； the piles of rubbish from ruined temples in the street …
and then a lady； passing； jabbed the ferrule of a parasol in his side and
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The Voice of the City
brought him back to Broadway。
Five minutes of his stroll brought him to a certain corner； where a
number of silent； pale…faced men are accustomed to stand； immovably； for
hours； busy with the file blades of their penknives； with their hat brims on
a level with their eyelids。 Wall Street speculators； driving home in their
carriages； love to point out these men to their visiting friends and tell them
of this rather famous lounging…place of the 〃crooks。〃 On Wall Street the
speculators never use the file blades of their knives。
Vuyning was delighted when one of this company stepped forth and
addressed him as he was passing。 He was hungry for something out of the
ordinary； and to be accosted by this smooth…faced； keen…eyed； low…voiced；
athletic member of the under world； with his grim； yet pleasant smile； had
all the taste of an adventure to the convention…weary Vuyning。
〃Excuse me； friend；〃 said be。 〃Could I have a few minutes' talk with
you on the level？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Vuyning； with a smile。 〃But； suppose we step aside to
a quieter place。 There is a divan a cafe over here that will do。 Schrumm
will give us a private corner。〃
Schrumm established them under a growing palm； with two seidls
between them。 Vuyning made a pleasant reference to meteorological
conditions； thus forming a binge upon which might be swung the door
leading from the thought repository of the other。
〃In the first place；〃 said his companion； with the air of one who
presents his credentials； 〃I want you to understand that I am a crook。 Out
West I am known as Rowdy the Dude。 Pickpocket； supper man； second…
story man； yeggman； boxman； all…round bur… glar； cardsharp and slickest
con man west of the Twenty…third Street ferry landing that's my his… tory。
That's to show I'm on the square with you。 My name's Emerson。〃
〃Confound old Ki