I trust you, Joe," said Jim. "And Mae trusts you, too."
Joe pushed the money into the fighter's hand and waved
goodnight.
When Jim entered the little apartment, he put some of the cash
in the jar on the shelf. He put the rest in a white envelope.
Jim didn't sleep much that night and he left the apartment
before Mae and the children woke up. The sidewalks were empty
as he walked to the center of town. He joined the line inside the
relief office and waited patiently.
Finally, he stepped up to the counter and nodded at the
woman. He gave her the white envelope.
The woman was confused when she looked at the cash. "So
. . . you're giving us the money back?"
On the way home, Jim bought twelve roses for Mae. They were