terday?" Scheikowitz exclaimed.

"I mean the day before yesterday," Polatkin added hastily as the
elevator door opened and a short, stout person alighted. He wore a
wrinkled frock coat and a white tie which perched coquettishly under his
left ear; and as he approached the office he seemed to be labouring
under a great deal of excitement.

"Oo-ee!" he wailed as he caught sight of Polatkin, and without further
salutation he sank into the nearest chair. There he bowed his head in
his hands and rocked to and fro disconsolately.

"Who's this crazy feller?" Scheikowitz demanded of his partner.

Polatkin shrugged.

"He's a button salesman by the name Rashkind," Polatkin said. "Leave me
deal with him." He walked over to the swaying _Shadchen_ and shook him
violently by the shoulder. "Rashkind," he said, "stop that nonsense and
tell me what's the matter."

Rashkind ceased his moanings and looked up with bloodshot eyes.

"She's engaged!" he said.

"She's engaged!" Polatkin repeated. "And you call yourself a
_Shadchen_!" he said bitterly.

"A _Shadchen_!" Scheikowitz cried. "Why, I thought you said he was a
button salesman."

"Did I?" Polatkin retorted. "Well, maybe he is, Scheikowitz; but he
ain't no _Shadchen_. Actually the feller goes to work and takes Elkan up
to see the girl, and they put him off by saying the girl was sick; and
now he comes down here and tells me the girl is engaged."

"Well," Scheikowitz remarked, "you couldn't get no sympathy from me,
Polatkin. A feller which acts underhand the way you done, trying to make
up a _Shidduch_ for Elkan behind my back yet--you got what you
deserved."

"What d'ye mean I got what I deserved?" Polatkin said indignantly. "Do
you think it would be such a bad thing for us--you and me both,
Scheikowitz--if I could of made up a match between Elkan and B. Maslik's
a daughter?"

"B. Maslik's a daughter!" Scheikowitz cried. "Do you mean that this here
feller was trying to make up a match between Elkan and Miss Birdie
Maslik?"

"That's just what I said," Polatkin announced.

"Then I can explain the whole thing," Scheikowitz rejoined
triumphantly. "Miss Maslik had a date to meet Elkan last night yet with
a _Shadchen_ by the name Charles Fischko, and that's why B. Maslik told
this here button salesman that his daughter was engaged."

Rashkind again raised his head and regarded Scheikowitz with a
malevolent grin.

"_Schmooes!_" he jeered. "Miss Maslik is engaged and the