shop I had noticed close
by. The window was full of odds and ends, souvenirs of Avignon; and
there were picture-postcards, photographs, and coins with heads of
saints on them. In passing, on the way to lunch, I'd noticed a silver
St. Christopher, about the size of a two-franc piece; and as the Aigle
carries the saint like a figure-head, a glittering, golden statuette six
or seven inches high, I had guessed that St. Christopher must have been
chosen to fill the honourable position of patron saint for motors and
motorists.

"What's the price of that?" I asked, pointing to the coin.

It was ten francs, a good deal more than I could afford, more than half
my whole remaining fortune. "Could not madame make it a little cheaper?"
I pleaded with the fat lady whose extremely aquiline nose proclaimed
that she had no personal interest in saints. But no, madame could not
make it cheaper; the coin was of real silver, the figure well chased; a
recherche little pocket-piece, and a great luck-bringer for anybody
connected with the automobile. No accident would presume to happen to
one who carried _that_ on his person. Madame had, however, other coins
of St. Christopher, smaller coins in white metal which could scarcely be
told from silver. If mademoiselle wished to see them--

But mademoiselle did not wish to see them. It would be worse than
nothing to give a base imitation. Instead of feeling flattered, St.
Christopher would have a right to be annoyed, and perhaps to punish.
Recklessly I passed across the counter ten francs, and made the coveted
saint mine. Then I darted out, just in time to meet Mr. Dane at the door
of the restaurant.

"This is for you," I said. "It's to give you luck."

I pressed the coin into his hand, and he looked at it on his open palm.
For an instant I was afraid he was going to make fun of it, and my
superstition concerning it, which I couldn't quite deny if
cross-questioned. But his smile didn't mean that.

"You've just bought this--to give to me?" he asked.

"Yes," I nodded.

"Why? Not because you want to 'pay me back' for asking you to lunch--or
any such villainous thing, I hope, because--"

I shook my head. "I didn't think of that. I got it because I wanted to
bring you luck."

Then he slipped the coin into an inside pocket of his coat. "Thank you,"
he said. "But didn't I tell you that you'd brought me something better
than luck already?"

"What _is_ better than luck?"

"An interest in life