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176 covering, and out of it exploded dozens upon dozens of bright orange-colored kumquats. Lucretia stopped stock-still. There was a suggestion of tears in her eyes as she surveyed the spectacle at her feet. The sidewalk seemed alive with kumquats rolling away in every direction. Lucretia glanced at the empty box in her hands an instant; then she grimly proceeded to pick up her treasures. A friendly cabby and a newsboy helped her.

When the box was nearly full again she thanked them, and for the first time glanced about her. Passers-by were smiling. Her gaze sought the low windows of the hotel on the corner. Little red-shaded lights shone out at her through lace curtains. At the window just above a man and a girl were sitting at one of the small tables. The man was hidden behind the lace, but she caught the amused smile of the girl. Oh, well! She tossed her head a little, then walked as proudly as was possible in such a gale to the entrance of the hotel and entered it.

"Please have these wrapped up," she said to the clerk, presenting her box of fruit. "I'll call for them in a little while."

When she came down-stairs ten minutes later, although she had helped herself generously to soap and hot water, towels and scented powder, she knew that she hadn't improved her appearance