German. "Forgive my unseemly haste in plucking
without your permission the beautiful flower I found within reach."

Peter stepped back and gave a hoarse grunt of astonishment. His red
face became redder as he glared, first at Feuerstein, then at Lena.
"What lunatic is this you've got here, daughter?" he demanded.

"My father!" repeated Feuerstein, drawing Lena to him.

Ganser's mouth opened and shut slowly several times and his whiskers
bristled. "Is this fellow telling the truth?" he asked Lena in a tone
that made her shiver and shrink away from her husband.

She began to cry. "He made me do it, pa," she whined. "I--I--"

"Go to your mother," shouted Ganser, pointing his pudgy finger
tremulously toward the door. "Move!"

Lena, drying her eyes with her sleeve, fled. Feuerstein became a
sickly white. When she had disappeared, Ganser looked at him with
cruel little eyes that sparkled. Feuerstein quailed. It was full half
a minute before Ganser spoke. Then he went up to Feuerstein, stood on
tiptoe and, waving his arms frantically above his head, yelled into his
face "Rindsvieh!"--as contemptuous an insult as one German can fling at
another.

"She is my lawful wife," said Feuerstein with an attempt at his pose.

"Get the house aus--quick!--aus!--gleich!--Lump!--I call the police!"

"I demand my wife!" exclaimed Feuerstein.

Ganser ran to the front door and opened it. "Out!" he shrieked. "If
you don't, I have you taken in when the police come the block down.
This is my house! Rindsvieh!"

Feuerstein caught up his soft hat from the hall table and hurried out.
As he passed, Ganser tried to kick him but failed ludicrously because
his short, thick leg would not reach. At the bottom of the steps
Feuerstein turned and waved his fists wildly. Ganser waved his fists at
Feuerstein and, shaking his head so violently that his hanging cheeks
flapped back and forth, bellowed:

"Rindsvieh! Dreck!"

Then he rushed in and slammed the door.

V

A SENSITIVE SOUL SEEKS SALVE

As Mr. Feuerstein left Hilda on the previous Sunday night he promised
to meet her in Tompkins Square the next evening--at the band concert.
She walked up and down with Sophie, her spirits gradually sinking after
half-past eight and a feeling of impending misfortune settling in
close. She was not conscious of the music, though the second part of
the program contained the selections from Wagner which she loved best.
She feverishly sea