owned with a black and gold embroidered fez, was coming
toward him, but with eyes levelled upon the active young man upon the
lofty stool. He wore a severe suit of black, relieved upon the breast
of the close-buttoned Prince Albert coat by a blue satin badge,
bearing upon its upper half a silver-gilt souvenir half-dollar, and
upon the lower portion a tiny fac-simile of a Government banknote.

He paused as the smug young man addressed him, and looked into his
face, at first with indifference, almost amounting to annoyance, then
with growing recognition, and finally with a bland and condescending
smile. He wore a long and flowing beard, and the black cloth fez,
unlike the red one, was not rakishly set on; but I recognised him at
once.

It was the man with the 'soo-vy-neer matches,' quickly and deftly
metamorphosed to escape the unobservant or untrained eye, but the
same, notwithstanding. And now my interest grew apace. I knew that at
last we were in the presence of that powerful official who dispensed
virgin two-dollar notes to the unwitting foreigner or native; and Adam
Camp was about to be mulcted.

I had formed no plan of action. I had been interested, first, in the
welfare of Adam Camp, and then the mention of these new Government
two-dollar bills had aroused in me the desire, stronger for the moment
than any other, to see this 'agent' whose duty it was to make easy the
path of the stranger and alien in our midst.

And now our smug friend demonstrated his ability to do quick work when
occasion required.

Throwing caution to the winds, I drew close behind the woman, and
heard the introduction of Camp and the case stated briefly.

Smug had ventured to bring this chance acquaintance, etc., who desired
a like favour to that conferred upon himself not long since. Mr. Camp
desired to exchange a banknote, say ten or twenty dollars, perhaps,
for smaller bills, for convenience at the Fair, etc.

The man of the badge looked closely at Farmer Camp, who was bowing
like a mandarin, and then back at his spouse.

'You can vouch for this person?' he asked with a touch of severity,
and in excellent English.

'Pardon me; we are mere passing acquaintances, but I should think----'

He of the badge drew himself up with a stately gesture.

'We are not permitted to judge for ourselves,' he said; 'our
Government require some sort of voucher, as, for instance, a bank
certificate, cheque-book, even a receipt or letter.'

Before