thought of freezing
had been a cue to Nature he noted a tickling in his nose and a chokiness
in his throat, and somewhere in his system, a long way off, so to speak,
he felt a sneeze forming and approaching the surface.

To add to his state of misery, if anything could add to its distressing
total, he was taking cold. When Mr. Leary took cold he took it
thoroughly and throughout his system. Very soon, as he knew by past
experience, his voice would be hoarse and wheezy and his nose and his
eyes would run. But the sneeze was delayed in transit, and Mr. Leary
took advantage of the respite to cast a glance about him. Perhaps--the
expedient had surged suddenly into his brain--perhaps there might be a
hotel or a lodging house of sorts hereabouts? If so, such an
establishment would have a night clerk on duty, and despite the
baggageless and cashless state of the suppliant it was possible the
night clerk might be won, by compassion or by argument or by both, to
furnish Mr. Leary shelter until after breakfast time, when over the
telephone he could reach friends and from these friends procure an
outfit of funds and suitable clothing.

In sight, though, there was no structure which by its outward appearance
disclosed itself as a place of entertainment for the casual wayfarer.
Howsomever, lights were shining through the frosted panes of a row of
windows stretching across the top floor of a building immediately at
hand, and even as he made this discovery Mr. Leary was aware of the
dimmed sounds of revelry and of orchestral music up there, and also of
an illuminated canvas triangle stuck above the hallway entrance of the
particular building in question, this device bearing a lettered
inscription upon it to advertise that here the members of the Lawrence
P. McGillicuddy Literary Association and Pleasure Club were holding
their Grand Annual Civic Ball; admission One Dollar, including Hat
Check; Ladies Free when accompanied by Gents. Evidently the Lawrence P.
McGillicuddys kept even later hours at their roisterings than the
Bohemian sets in Washington Square kept.

Observing these evidences of adjacent life and merry-makings Mr. Leary
cogitated. Did he dare intrude upon the festivities aloft there? And if
he did so dare would he enter cavortingly, trippingly, with intent to
deceive the assembled company into the assumption that he had come to
their gathering in costume; or would he throw himself upon their charity
and making open co