at I steal samples yet! I am sick and tired of it!"

"_Stiegen!_" Polatkin cried. "Listen here to me, Feinermann. Do you mean
to told me the boy ain't paying you five dollars a week board?"

As Feinermann opened his mouth to reply the showroom door opened and
Elkan himself entered.

"Loafer!" Scheikowitz roared. "Where was you?"

Elkan made no reply, but walked to the centre of the showroom.

"Mr. Polatkin," he said, "could I speak to you a few words something?"

Polatkin jumped to his feet.

"Before you speak to me a few words something," he said, "I want to ask
you what the devil you are telling me lies that you pay Mrs. Feinermann
five dollars a week board?"

"What are you bothering about that for now?" Scheikowitz interrupted.
"And, anyhow, you could see by the way the feller is red like blood that
he lies to you."

"Furthermore," Feinermann added, "my wife complains to me last night
that young loafer takes her uptown yesterday on a wild fool's errand,
understand me, and together they get pretty near kicked out of a
drygoods store."

"She told you that, did she?" Elkan cried.

"That's what I said!" Feinermann retorted.

"Then, if that's the case, Feinermann," Elkan replied, "all I can say
is, I am paying your wife five dollars a week board _schon_ six months
already, and if she is holding out on you a dollar and a half a week
that's her business--not mine."

"Don't make things worser as they are, Lubliner," Flaxberg advised. "You
are in bad, anyhow, and lying don't help none. What did you done with
the samples you took away from here?"

"What is it your business what I done with 'em?" Elkan retorted.

"Don't get fresh, Elkan!" Polatkin said. "What is all this about,
anyhow? First, you are leaving here yesterday on account you are sick;
next, you are going uptown with Mrs. Feinermann and get kicked out of a
drygoods store; then you come back here and steal our samples."

"Steal your samples!" Elkan cried.

"You admitted it yourself just now," Flaxberg interrupted. "You are a
thief as well as a liar!"

Had Flaxberg's interest in sport extended to pugilism, he would have
appreciated the manner in which Elkan's chest and arm muscles began to
swell under his coat, even if the ominous gleam in Elkan's dark eyes had
provided no other warning. As it was, however, Elkan put into practice
the knowledge gained by a nightly attendance at the gymnasium on East
Broadway. He stepped back two paces, and left f