ou should
ring up sure to-morrow morning Greenberg & Company about the cigars?"

Louis nodded and Trinkmann glared triumphantly at his visitors.

"Then if I told him to ring up Greenberg & Company about the cigars
to-morrow morning, understand me," he cried, "how could it be possible
that he quits me this afternoon?"

"But, Mr. Trinkmann," Louis protested, "you did told me I should quit
this afternoon."

"_Dummer Esel!_" Trinkmann exclaimed. "Couldn't I open my mouth in my
own restaurant at all?"

"Well, if that's the case," Ringentaub said, "then Louis could come to
work by me. Ain't that right, Louis?"

Louis looked at Max Maikafer, whose right eyelid fluttered
encouragingly.

"And I would pay him twenty-eight dollars a month," Ringentaub
continued, "and guarantee to keep him a year. Is that satisfactory,
Louis?"

Louis' tongue clove to the roof of his mouth, but he managed to
enunciate a monosyllable of assent.

"That's all right, Mr. Ringentaub," Trinkmann declared; "I would pay
him thirty dollars a month and keep him for a year and longer if he
wants to stay."

Louis' gaze wandered from Max Maikafer to Trinkmann, and his lower lip
jutted out and trembled with gratitude.

"I mean it, Louis," Trinkmann declared. "I mean it from the bottom of
my heart."

"Then in that case, Louis," Ringentaub retorted, "I would give you
thirty-two fifty a month."

Louis shook his head.

"I am working here by Mr. Trinkmann six years come this _Tishabav_," he
replied, "and even if he would only say twenty-eight dollars I would of
stayed anyway."

Max Maikafer turned disgustedly to Ringentaub. "Did you ever hear the
like for a fool?" he said.

"Never mind, Maikafer," Trinkmann interrupted, "even if he would be
satisfied with twenty-eight I wouldn't go back on my word. I will pay
him thirty dollars a month, and, furthermore, Maikafer, you will see if
he stays by me a year and does his work good, maybe--who knows--I would
even pay him more yet."

He held out his hand to Louis, who grabbed it effusively.

"When a feller's wife goes to work and has twins on him, Louis," he
continued, "he ain't responsible for what he says exactly. Especially
if they're both girls."

* * * * *

Three weeks later Mrs. Trinkmann sat behind the cashier's desk,
awaiting the luncheon customers, and her eye wandered to the vacant
store across the street at the very moment when a wagon backed up