Rashkind exclaimed. "A question! You mustn't
got to do nothing. Act natural and leave the rest to me."

"But," Elkan insisted as they proceeded down Lenox Avenue, "shouldn't I
say something to the girl?"

"Sure, you should say something to the girl," Rashkind replied; "but, if
you couldn't find something to say to a girl like Miss Birdie Maslik,
all I could tell you is you're a bigger _Schlemiel_ than you look."

With this encouraging ultimatum, Mr. Rashkind entered the portals of a
hallway that glittered with lacquered bronze and plaster porphyry, and
before Elkan had time to ask any more questions he found himself seated
with Mr. Rashkind in the front parlour of a large apartment on the
seventh floor.

"Mr. Maslik says you should be so good and step into the dining room,"
the maid said to Mr. Rashkind. Forthwith he rose to his feet and left
Elkan alone in the room, save for the presence of the maid, who drew
down the shades and smiled encouragingly on Elkan.

"Ain't it a fine weather?" she asked.

Elkan looked up, and he could not resist smiling in return.

"Elegant," he replied. "It don't seem like summer was ever going to
quit."

"It couldn't last too long for me," the maid continued. "Might some
people would enjoy cold weather maybe; but when it comes to going up on
the roof, understand me, and hanging out a big wash, the summer is good
enough for me."

Elkan gazed for a moment at her oval face, with its kindly, intelligent
brown eyes.

"You mean to say you got to do washing here?" he asked in shocked
accents.

"Sure I do," she replied; "_aber_ this winter I am going to night school
again and next summer might I would get a job as bookkeeper maybe."

"But why don't you get a job in a store somewheres?" he asked.

"I see myself working in a store all day, standing on my feet yet, and
when I get through all my wages goes for board!" she replied. "Whereas,
here I got anyhow a good room and board, and all what I earn I could put
away in savings bank. I worked in a store long enough, Mr.----"

"Lubliner," Elkan said.

"----Mr. Lubliner; and I could assure you I would a whole lot sooner do
housework," she went on. "Why should a girl think it's a disgrace she
should do housework for a living is more as I could tell you. Sooner or
later a girl gets married, and then she must got to do her own
housework."

"Not if her husband makes a good living," Elkan suggested.

"Sure, I know," she rejoined; "but ho