wouldn't have no _ganevim_ in my place. Once and for all,
Mawruss, I am telling you I wouldn't stand for your nonsense. You are
giving our stock as a bail for this feller, and if he runs away on us,
the sheriff comes in and----"

"Who says I give our stock as a bail for this feller?" Morris demanded.
"I got a surety company bond, Abe, because Feldman says I shouldn't go
on no bail bonds, and I give the surety company my personal check for a
thousand dollars which they will return when the case is over. That's
what I done it to keep this here Schenkmann out of jail, Abe, and if it
would be necessary to get this here Linkheimer into jail, Abe, I would
have another check for a thousand dollars for keeps."

Abe grew somewhat abashed at this disclosure. He looked at Linkheimer
and then at Morris, but before he could think of something to say the
elevator door opened and Jake stepped out. It was perhaps the first time
in all their acquaintance with Jake that Abe and Morris had seen him
with his face washed. Moreover, a clean collar served further to conceal
his identity, and at first Abe did not recognize his former shipping
clerk.

"Hallo, Mr. Potash!" Jake said.

"I'll be with you in one moment, Mister--er," Abe began. "Just take
a--why, that's Jake, ain't it?"

Here he saw a chance for a conversational diversion and he jumped
excitedly to his feet.

"What's the matter, Jake?" he asked. "You want your old job back?"

"It don't go so quick as all that, Mr. Potash," Jake answered. "I got a
good business, Mr. Potash. I carry a fine line of cigars, candy, and
stationery, and already I got an offer of twenty-five dollars more as I
paid for the business. But I wouldn't take it. Why should I? I took in a
lot money yesterday, and only this morning, Mr. Potash, a feller comes
in my place and--why, there's the feller now!"

"Feller! What d'ye mean--feller?" Abe cried indignantly. "That ain't no
feller. That's Mr. Max Linkheimer."

"Sure, I know!" Jake explained. "He's the feller I mean. Half an hour
ago I was in his place, and they says there he comes up here. You was in
_mein_ store this morning, Mr. Linkheimer, ain't that right, and you
bought from me a package of all-tobacco cigarettes?"

"_Nu, nu_, Jake," Morris broke in. "Make an end. You are interrupting us
here."

Jake drew back his coat and clumsily unfastened a large safety pin which
sealed the opening of his upper right-hand waistcoat pocket. Then he
dug down