You see, Alex,' I says----"

"Alex!" Uncle Mosha cried. "Did Alex Kronberg send you here?"

"That's who it was," Morris replied.

"Then all I could say is," Uncle Mosha thundered, "you should go right
back to Alex and tell him from me that I says any friend of his which
he comes to me looking for information about real estate, he's lucky I
don't kick him into the street yet."

He jumped up from his chair and opened the door leading into the public
hall.

"Go on," he roared, "out from my house."

Morris rose leisurely to his feet and pulled a large cigar from his
pocket.

"If that's the way you feel about it, Mr. Kronberg," he said gently,
"_schon gut_. I wouldn't bother you any more. At the same time, Mr.
Kronberg, if ever you should want to sell the house, y'understand, let
me know; that's all." As he passed out of the door he laid the cigar on
a side table and its bright red band immediately caught the eye of Uncle
Mosha. He pounced on it and was about to hurl it after his departing
visitor when something about the smoothness of the wrapper made him
pause. Five minutes later he lolled back in a horsehair-covered rocker
and puffed contentedly at Morris's cigar. "After all," he said, "I might
get a good price for the house anyway."

From Mosha Kronberg's tenement house on Madison Street to the cloak and
suit district, at Nineteenth Street and Fifth Avenue, is less than two
miles as the crow flies, but Morris Perlmutter's journey uptown was
accomplished in less direct fashion. He spent over half an hour in an
antiquated horse car and by the time the Broadway car to which he
transferred had reached Madison Square it was nearly twelve o'clock. As
he walked down Nineteenth Street he almost collided with Abe, whose face
wore a frown.

"Say, lookyhere, Mawruss!" he cried. "What kind of business is this?
Here you are just getting downtown and I am going out to lunch already."

"Sure, I know," Morris retorted. "You think of nothing but your stomach.
Believe me, Abe, I worked hard enough this morning."

"Worked nothing!" Abe rejoined. "You have been up to some monkey
business, Mawruss; otherwise why should Mosha Kronberg telephone us just
now he thought the matter over since you left there and he would be up
to see you this afternoon already."

"What!" Morris cried. "Did Mosha Kronberg telephone that himself?"

"All right, Mawruss; then I am a liar!" Abe exploded. "I am telling you
with my own ears I heard him."