e coloured and he bit his lips nervously.

"Max is right, popper," he said. "You ain't got no call to come down
here and interfere in our affairs. I'll put on my hat and go right home
with you."

It was now Sam's turn to blush, and he did so to the point of growing
purple with rage.

"Don't trouble yourself," he cried; "because I ain't going home!"

"What d'ye mean, y'ain't going home?" Max said threateningly.

"I mean what I say!" Sam declared. "I mean I ain't going home never
again. You are throwing me out of my business, Max, and you would soon
try to throw me out of my home, too, if I couldn't protect myself. But
I ain't so old and I ain't so sick but what I could take care of
myself, Max."

"Why, Doctor Eichendorfer says----" Sidney began.

"Doctor Eichendorfer!" Sam roared. "Who is Doctor Eichendorfer? He is a
doctor, not a lawyer, Max, and maybe he knows about kidneys, Max; but
he don't know nothing about business, Max! And, so help me, Max, I
would give you till Wednesday afternoon three o'clock; if you don't
send me a certified check for five thousand dollars over to Henry
Schrimm's place, I would go right down and see Henry D. Feldman, and I
would bust your business--my business!--open from front to rear, so
that there wouldn't be a penny left for nobody--except Henry D.
Feldman."

Here he drew a deep breath.

"And, furthermore, Max," he concluded, as he made for the door, "don't
try any monkey business with spreading reports I am gone crazy or
anything, because I know that's just what you would do, Max! And if you
would, Max, instead of five thousand dollars I would want ten thousand
dollars. And if I wouldn't get it, Max, Henry D. Feldman would--so what
is the difference?"

He paused with his hand on the elevator bell and faced his sons again.

"Solomon was right, Max," he concluded. "He was an old-timer, Max; but,
just the same, he knew what he was talking about when he said that you
bring up a child in the way he should go and when he gets old he bites
you like a serpent's tooth yet!"

At this juncture the elevator door opened and Sam delivered his
ultimatum.

"But you got a different proposition here, boys," he said; "and before
you get through with me I would show you that oncet in a while a father
could got a serpent's tooth, too--and don't you forget it!"

"Mr. Gembitz," the elevator boy interrupted, "there is here in the
building already twenty tenants; and other people as yourself w