king his beard amid
the ruins.

Then the shop closed; the shutters that should have honoured the
Sabbath now depressed the Tuesday. Simeon Samuels was seen to get into
the London train. The demon that troubled their sanctity had been
exorcised. A great peace reigned in every heart, almost like the
Sabbath peace coming into the middle of the week.

'If they had only taken my advice earlier,' said Solomon Barzinsky to
his wife, as he rolled his forkful of beef in the chutney.

'You can write to your father, Deborah,' said Lazarus Levy, 'that we
no longer need the superior reach-me-downs.'

On the Wednesday strange new rumours began to circulate, and those who
hastened to confirm them stood dumbfounded before great posters on all
the shutters:

CLOSED FOR RE-STOCKING

THE OLD-FASHIONED STOCK OF THIS BUSINESS
HAVING BEEN SOLD OFF TO THE TRADE,

SIMEON SAMUELS

IS TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY
TO LAY IN THE BEST AND MOST UP-TO-DATE
LONDON AND CONTINENTAL GOODS
FOR HIS CUSTOMERS.
_BARGAINS AND NOVELTIES IN EVERY DEPARTMENT._

RE-OPEN SATURDAY NEXT

XVIII

A hurried emergency meeting of the Executive Sub-Committee was called.

'He has swindled us,' said Solomon Barzinsky. 'This paper signed by
him merely undertakes to shut up his shop. And he will plead he meant
for a day or two.'

'And he agreed to leave the town,' wailed Peleg, 'but he meant to buy
goods.'

'Well, we can have the law of him,' said Mendel. 'We paid him
compensation for disturbance.'

'And can't he claim he _was_ disturbed?' shrieked Barzinsky. 'His
whole stock turned upside down!'

'Let him claim!' said Mendel. 'There is such a thing as obtaining
money under false pretences.'

'And such a thing as becoming the laughing-stock of the heathen,' said
Peleg. 'We must grin and bear it ourselves.'

'It's all very well for you to grin,' said Solomon tartly. '_We've_
got to bear it. You didn't take over any of his old rubbish.'

'Didn't I, indeed? What about the barometer?'

'Confound your barometer!' cried Ephraim Mendel. 'I'll have the law of
him; I've made up my mind.'

'Well, you'll have to bear the cost, then,' said Peleg. 'It's none of
my business.'

'Yes, it is,' shouted Mendel. 'As a member of the Sub-Committee you
can't dissociate yourselves from us.'