kowitz--which, if you don't think it's ambitious a
feller tries to sell goods to Joseph Kammerman, Scheikowitz, what is it
then?"

"There's worser people to sell goods to as Joseph Kammerman, Polatkin,
which he is a millionaire concern, understand me," Scheikowitz declared;
"and you could take it from me, Polatkin, even if you would accuse him
he is ambitious _oder_ not, that boy always got idees to do big
things--and he works hard till he lands 'em. So if you want to call that
ambitious, Polatkin, go ahead and do so. When a loafer knocks it's a
boost every time."

With this ultimatum Scheikowitz followed his junior partner to the rear
of the loft, where Elkan regarded with a critical eye the labors of his
cutting-room staff.

"_Nu_, Elkan," Scheikowitz asked, "what's biting you now?"

Elkan winked significantly--and a moment later he tapped an assistant
cutter on the shoulder.

"Max," he said, "do you got maybe a grudge against that piece of goods,
the way you are slamming it round?"

The assistant cutter smiled in an embarrassed fashion.

"The fact is," he said apologetically, "I wasn't thinking about them
goods at all. When you are laying out goods for cutting, Mr. Lubliner,
you don't got to think much--especially pastel shades."

"Pastel shades?" Elkan repeated.

"That's what I said," the cutter replied. "_Mit_ colors like reds and
greens, which they are hitting you right in the face, so to speak, you
couldn't get your mind off of 'em at all; but pastel shades, that's
something else again. They quiet you like smoking a cigarette."

Elkan turned to his partner with a shrug.

"When I was working by B. Gans," the cutter went on, "I am laying out a
piece of old gold crepe _mit_ a silver-thread border, and I assure you,
Mr. Lubliner, it has an effect on me like some one would give me a glass
of schnapps already."

"_Stiegen_, Max," said Elkan, moving away, "you got too much to say for
yourself."

Max nodded resignedly and continued the spreading of the goods on the
cutting table, while Elkan and Scheikowitz walked out of the room.

"That's the new feller I was telling you about," Elkan said.
"_Meshugganeh_ Max Merech they call him."

"_Meshugga_ he may be," Scheikowitz replied, "but just the same he's got
a couple of good idees also, Elkan. Only this morning he makes Redman
the designer pretty near crazy when he says that the blue soutache on
that new style 2060 kills the blue in the yoke, y'understand