big success Strauss made. Actually the feller
must got orders at least six months ahead. Why for one song alone they
pay him a couple thousand dollars!"

"Well," Jassy asked, "if you feel there's such a future in it why don't
you raise a thousand dollars and finance Volkovisk?"

Max laughed aloud.

"Me--I couldn't raise nothing," he said; "_aber_ you--you are feeling
sore at yourself because you are writing popular stuff. Here's a chance
for you to square yourself with your art. Why don't you help Volkovisk
out? All you got to do is to find out who is loaning this here Benson
the ten thousand dollars and get him to stake Volkovisk to a thousand."

Jassy tapped the table with his fingers.

"For that matter I could say the same thing to you," he declared. "You
consider Volkovisk's talent so high as a business proposition, Merech,
why don't you get some business man interested--one of your bosses, for
instance?"

He rose from his chair as he spoke and placed ten cents on the table as
his share of the evening's expenses.

"Think it over," he said; and long after he had closed the door behind
him Max sat still with his hands in his trousers pocket and pondered the
suggestion.

"After all," he mused as Marculescu began to turn out the lights one by
one, "why shouldn't I--the very first thing in the morning?"

It was not, however, until Polatkin and Scheikowitz had gone out to
lunch the following day, leaving Elkan alone in the office, that Max
could bring his courage to the sticking point; and so fearful was he
that he might regret his boldness before it was too late, he fairly ran
from the cutting room to the office and delivered his preparatory
remarks in the outdoor tones of a political spellbinder.

"Mr. Lubliner," he cried, "could I speak to you a few words something?"

Elkan rose and slammed the door.

"Say, lookyhere, Merech," he said, "if you want a raise don't let the
whole factory know about it, otherwise we would be pestered to death
here. Remember, also," he continued as he sat down again, "you are only
working for us a few weeks--and don't go so quick as all that."

"What d'ye mean, a raise?" Max asked. "I ain't said nothing at all about
a raise. I am coming to see you about something entirely different
already."

Elkan looked ostentatiously at his watch.

"I ain't got too much time, Merech," he said.

"Nobody's got too much time when it comes to fellers asking for raises,
Mr. Lubliner," Max