the other."

"Better even," she said. "What was B. Maslik in the old country? He
could _oser_ sign his name when he came here, while I am anyhow from
decent, respectable people, Mr. Lubliner."

"I don't doubt it," Elkan replied.

"My father was a learned man, Mr. Lubliner; but that don't save him. One
day he goes to Kishinef on business, Mr. Lubliner, and----"

Here her composure entirely forsook her and she covered her face with
her hands and wept. Elkan struggled with himself no longer. He took the
little maid in his arms; and, as it seemed the most natural thing in the
world to do, she laid her head against his shoulder and had her whole
cry out.

Elkan spoke no word, but patted her shoulder gently with his right hand.

"I guess I'm acting like a baby, Mr. Lubliner," she said, after a
quarter of an hour had elapsed. To Elkan it seemed like an acquaintance
of many months as he clasped her more closely.

"My name is Elkan, _Liebchen_," he said, "and we would send all the
heavy washing out."

* * * * *

"Well, Lubliner," Kapfer cried as Elkan came into the cafe of the Prince
Clarence the following morning, "you didn't like her--what?"

"Didn't like her!" Elkan exclaimed. "What d'ye mean I didn't like her?"

"Why, the way you look, I take it you had a pretty rotten time last
night," Kapfer rejoined.

"What are you talking about--rotten time?" Elkan protested. "The only
thing is I feel so happy I didn't sleep a wink, that's all."

Kapfer jumped to his feet and slapped Elkan on the shoulder.

"Do you mean you're engaged!" he asked.

"Sure!" Elkan replied.

"Then I congradulate you a thousand times," Kapfer said gleefully.

"Once is plenty," Elkan replied.

"No, it ain't," Kapfer rejoined. "You should got to be congradulated
more as you think, because this morning I am talking to a feller in the
clothing business here and he says B. Maslik is richer as most people
believe. The feller says he is easy worth a quarter of a million
dollars."

"What's that got to do with it?" Elkan asked.

"What's that got to do with it?" Kapfer repeated. "Why, it's got
everything to do with it, considering you are engaged to his only
daughter."

"I am engaged to his only daughter? Who told you that, Mr. Kapfer?"

"Why, you did!" Kapfer said.

"I never said nothing of the kind," Elkan declared, "because I ain't
engaged to Miss Maslik at all; in fact, I never even seen her."

Kapfer gazed ear