All that he saw on that gaily lighted main thoroughfare of New York was interesting.
It was the same old evening crowd, on pleasure bent.
Then, crossing over to the east side of Broadway, Dave sauntered slowly back.
Laughing girls eyed the young naval officer as he passed.

Drivers of taxicabs looked the young man over speculatively, as though wondering whether he might be inveigled into going on a, to them, profitable round of New York's night sights.

Human harpies, in the form of "confidence men"-- -swindlers on the lookout for prey---glanced but once at the young naval ensign, then looked away.
Dave Darrin's erect carriage, his clear steady eyes, his broad shoulders and evident physical mastery of himself made these swindlers hesitate at the thought of tackling him.
Through the occasionally opened doors of the restaurants came the sounds of music and laughter, but Dave felt no desire to enter.
He was several blocks on his homeward way, and was passing the corner of a side street quieter than the others, when he heard a woman's stifled cry of alarm.
Halting, bringing his heels together with a click, and throwing his shoulders back, Darrin stopped on the corner and looked down the street.
Five or six doors away, close to a building, stood a young woman of not more than twenty-two.

Though she was strikingly pretty, Dave did not note that fact in the first glance.

He saw, however, that she was well dressed in the latest spring garments, and that her pose was one of retreat from the man who stood before her.
That the man had the external appearance of the gentleman was the \ first fact Darrin observed.
Then he heard the young woman's indignant utterance: "You coward!" "That is a taunt not often thrown at me," the young man laughed, carelessly.
"Only a coward would attempt to win a woman's love by threats," replied the girl, more calmly, though bitterness rang in her tone.
"As for you, I wish to assure you that I am quite through with you!" "Oh, no, you're not!" rejoined the annoyer, with the air of one who knows himself to be victor.