"And those that wouldn't be searched? They looked mighty hungry to me." He was an expert in hunger. It drove him out of Literature.
"We'll sell the left-over meals to them at cost. We are intelligent philanthropists. We shall now have a beer, gentlemen, and let us pass on."
That beer had taken on a subtle quality of exclusiveness. All the reporters drank with gusto.
XXIII
At eight sharp the main entrance of the Garden was thrown open. The reporters promptly noted that the crowd of sight-seers exceeded the number of the hungry. It restored their belief in republican institutions.
As each ticket-holder presented his ticket he demanded the instant return of the ten-thousand-dollar coupon. Even the skeptics who knew they'd never get the ten thousand dollars did this.
The coupon-holder was then ushered into the superintendent's office, in which sat the Mayor of New York, the presidents of seven banks, the proprietors of six hotels, one United States Senator, H. R., and the reporters.
Behind them was a large frame inclosing stretched white oil-cloth. Printed thereon in large black letters was this:
YOU WILL BE ASKED ONE QUESTION. YOU WILL HAVE TEN SECONDS IN WHICH TO ANSWER. BRAIN-CAPACITY IS MEASURED BY THE QUICKNESS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION. IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER IN TEN SECONDS, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO THE $10,000 IN CASH.