olitaire diamond ring to buy."

"What!" Sam cried, while Max gazed at Miss Meyerson with his eyes
bulging.

"That's right," Aaron went on; "a feller ain't never too old to make a
home, and even if there would be ten years difference in our ages, ten
years ain't so much."

"Especially when it's nearer twenty," Sam added gallantly.

"Well, we won't quarrel about it," Aaron said. "The thing is, Max, that
a woman ain't got no business in business unless she's got to, and
Miriam ain't got to so long as I could help it. Yes, Sam, three months
from to-day you and Max and Mrs. Fatkin and Mrs. Zaretsky would all
come to dinner at our house and Miriam would make the finest _gefuellte
fische_ which it would fairly melt in your mouth."

"I congradulate you, Miss Meyerson," Sam said. "We are losing the best
bookkeeper which we ever got."

"Well, that's all right, Sam," Aaron cried. "You know where you could
always get another. Fillup ain't going to hold that job with them
suckers any longer."

"And since we aren't going to be married for two months yet," Miss
Meyerson added, "I'll keep my position here and break Philip into his
new job."

"That suits us fine," Sam declared. "And to show you we ain't small we
will start him at the same money what we pay Miss Meyerson--fifteen
dollars a week."

Aaron turned toward the two partners and extended both his hands.

"Boys," he said, "I don't know what I could say to you."

"Don't say nothing," Max interrupted. "The boy is worth it, otherwise
we wouldn't pay it. Business is business."

"I know it, boys," he said; "but a business man could have also a
heart, ain't it?"

Max nodded.

"And you boys," Aaron concluded, "you got a heart, too, believe me.
What a heart you got it! Like a watermelon!"

He looked at Miss Meyerson for an approving smile and, having received
it, he gave final expression to his emotions of friendship and
gratitude in the worst coughing-spell of his asthmatic career.

CHAPTER TWO

OPPORTUNITY

"What is brokers?" Mr. Marcus Shimko asked. "A broker is no good,
otherwise he wouldn't be a broker. Brokers is fellers which they
couldn't make a success of their own affairs, Mr. Zamp, so they butt
into everybody else's. Particularly business brokers, Mr. Zamp.
Real-estate brokers is bad enough, and insurings brokers is a lot of
sharks also; but for a cutthroat, a low-life bum, understand me, the
worst is a business broker!"

"That's all right, t