A Soldier of Fortune
- The herb-doctor, unaware that his reputation is in question, is long gone and chatting up a man with two gnarled legs on crutches wearing a tattered soldier's uniform. He wants to know where the soldier fought and was wounded.
- Turns out the dude didn't fight anywhere. Instead, he happened to be witness to a murder during a political rally. Everyone else present during the debacle made bail, but he didn't have the funds. While everyone else got to live their lives until the trial took place, he had to wait in a damp cell until he was called as a witness. This wet prison mangled his legs. Once at the trial, he testified that he saw the gentlemen kill a man with a sword-cane. The Penguin much?
- This murderer got off scot-free—apparently it's nice to have low friends in high places. After the trial, Thomas Fry (we finally get another name for a character) just gets dumped at a government hospital, where his condition worsens.
- The interaction between the herb-doctor and Tom is frayed because the herb-doctor is all silver-linings, and Tom is just not having it.
- The herb-doctor also says he can't believe something that bad happened. Nobody ever believes, apparently, so Tom lies about being a wounded soldier.
- Tom then gives the herb-doctor an example by begging for change from other passengers. Someone who heard Tom's other story is miffed and wants to expose him as a fake. The herb-doctor sticks up for Tom and dissuades the volunteer whistleblower.
- Tom returns, having collected a lot of cash.
- The herb-doctor tells him to cheer up.
- No.
- The herb-doctor says Tom should skip around and be happy.
- Ummm, can't skip: crutches.
- The herb-doctor says that he was thinking about how Tom might fare if he tries some of his herbs and gives him a box free of charge.
- Embarrassed, Tom refuses to accept anything free. Instead, asking for confirmation that this stuff really works, he buys three more boxes. That just happens to be the exact amount that the herb-doctor has left.