oney yet."

He jumped from his chair and went to the safe, from which he extracted
two crisp Russian banknotes.

"A hundred rubles apiece," he said, and his face beamed with pride. "So,
you see, I don't got to leave Russland because I would be a _Schnorrer_
over there."

"No?" Morris replied. "Then why did you leave, Gurin? So far what I
could see you ain't made it such a big success over here."

"You couldn't make me mad by saying that, Mr. Perlmutter," Gurin
commented. "A big success _oder_ a big failure, it makes no difference
to me."

"It makes a whole lot of difference to me," Morris cried.

"Yes, Mr. Perlmutter," B. Gurin went on, disregarding the interruption.
"I ain't coming over here to make a big success in business. I am coming
over here to forget."

"To forget!" Morris exclaimed. "What d'ye mean, forget?"

B. Gurin ran his hands once more through his pompadour and nodded
slowly.

"That's what I said," he repeated--"to forget."

"Well, I hope you ain't forgetting you owe us now two hundred and fifty
dollars since the first of the month yet," Morris commented in dry,
matter-of-fact tones.

B. Gurin waved his hand airily.

"I could forget that easy, Mr. Perlmutter," he said--and Morris
winced--"but the rest I couldn't forget at all. Day and night I see her
face, Mr. Perlmutter--and such a face!"

Here he paused impressively.

"N-nah!" he exclaimed, and kissed the tips of his fingers, while Morris
glanced uneasily toward the door.

"Her name was Miss Polanya and her father keeps a big flour mill in
Koroleshtchevitzi, Mr. Perlmutter," Gurin went on. "A fine family,
understand me; and I am going out there from Minsk twice a week, when a
young feller by the name Lutsky--a corn broker, y'understand--comes to
sell her father goods."

Again B. Gurin paused, his left hand extended palm upward in a tremulous
gesture. Suddenly it dropped on his knee with a despondent smack.

"In two weeks already they was married," he concluded, "and me, I am
coming to America."

"You ain't coming to such a bad place neither," Morris rejoined; "even
supposing your uncles was such big _Machers_ in the old country."

"Places is all the same to me now," Gurin said--"women, too, Mr.
Perlmutter. I assure you, Mr. Perlmutter, since the day I am leaving
Minsk one woman is the same as another to me. I ain't got no use for
none of 'em."

"_Geh weg_, Gurin," Morris cried impatiently. "You talk like a fool. Just
because