ks Louis imparted to his labour all the energy of a discharged
waiter wringing his employer's neck.

Before he had half concluded his task the other waiters arrived, for
Louis was but one of a staff of three, with the distinction that though
his two associates were only dinner waiters, Louis served breakfast,
dinner, and supper. Marcus, the elder of the two, bore a brown-paper
package with an air of great solemnity, while Albert, his companion,
perspired freely in spite of a chill March air blowing outside.

"Mr. Trinkmann," Marcus began, "Louis telephones me this morning which
you got a couple new arrivals in your family and----"

"Louis!" Trinkmann roared, and Louis in response approached the desk
with the polishing cloth in his hand. "Do you mean to told me you are
using the telephone without asking me?"

"I thought, Mr. Trinkmann," Louis hastened to explain, "that so long
you got in your family----"

"What is it your business _what_ I got in my family?" Trinkmann asked.

Louis' eyes kindled and he gave free play to his indignation.

"For you I don't care at all, Mr. Trinkmann," he said, "but for Mrs.
Trinkmann which she is always acted to us like a lady, understand me, I
am telephoning Marcus he should bring with him a few flowers, Mr.
Trinkmann, which if you wouldn't take 'em to her, we could easy send
'em up by a messenger boy, and here is a nickel for using the
telephone."

He plunged his hand into his trousers-pocket and dashed a coin on to
the desk. Then, reaching behind him with both hands, he untied his
apron. "Furthermore," he said, "I wouldn't wait till three o'clock, Mr.
Trinkmann. Give me my money and I would go now."

"Pick up that apron, Louis," Trinkmann commanded, "because, so sure as
I am standing here, if you wouldn't wait on the customers till three
o'clock I wouldn't pay you not one cent."

"So far as that goes, Mr. Trinkmann," Louis commenced, "I ain't----"

"And if you get fresh to me _oder_ to the customers, Louis," Trinkmann
concluded, "you wouldn't get your money, neither."

"Did the customers ever done me anything, Mr. Trinkmann?" Louis
retorted. "Why should I get fresh to the customers which every one of
them is my friends, Mr. Trinkmann? And as for getting fresh to you, Mr.
Trinkmann, if I would want to I would. Otherwise not."

With this defiance Louis picked up his polishing cloth and his apron
and proceeded to the kitchen, to which Marcus and Albert had already
retreated.