Mrs. Schenkmann it represented the sum total
of infantile beauty.

"God bless you, mister," she said. "I seen you got a good heart, and if
you know Max Linkheimer, he must told you why my husband couldn't get
another job. He tells everybody, lady, and makes 'em believe he gives my
husband a job out of charity. So sure as I got a baby which I hope he
would grow up to be a man, lady, my husband never took no money in
Dallas. Them people gives him a hundred dollars he should deposit it in
the bank, and he went and lost it. If he would stole it he would of gave
it to me, lady, because my Nathan is a good man. He ain't no loafer that
he should gamble it away."

There was a ring of truth in Mrs. Schenkmann's tones, and as Morris
looked at the twenty-eight-years old Nathan, aged by ill nutrition and
abuse, his suspicions all dissolved and gave place only to a great
pity.

[Illustration: "If he would stole it he would of gave it to me,
lady"]

"Don't say no more, Mrs. Schenkmann," he cried; "I don't want to hear no
more about it. To-morrow morning your man leaves that loafer Max
Linkheimer and comes to work by us for eighteen dollars a week."

* * * * *

Easily the most salient feature of Mr. Max Linkheimer's attire was the
I. O. M. A. jewel that dangled from the tangent point of his generous waist
line. It had been presented to him by Harmony Lodge, 122, at the
conclusion of his term of office as National Grand Corresponding
Secretary, and it weighed about eight ounces avoirdupois. Not that the
rest of Mr. Linkheimer's wearing apparel was not in keeping, for he
affected to be somewhat old-fashioned in his attire, with just a dash of
_bonhomie_. This implies that he wore a wrinkled frock coat and low-cut
waistcoat. But he had discarded the black string tie that goes with it
for a white ready-made bow as being more suitable to the role of
philanthropist. The _bonhomie_ he supplied by not buttoning the two top
buttons of his waistcoat.

"Why, hallo, Abe, my boy!" he cried all in one breath, as Abe Potash
entered his button warerooms on Tuesday morning; "what can I do for
you?"

He seized Abe's right hand in a soft, warm grip, slightly moist, and
continued to hold it for the better part of five minutes.

"I come to see you about Schenkmann," Abe replied. "We decide we would
have him come to work by us as a shipping clerk."

"I'm glad to hear it," said Linkheimer, "As I told you the othe