t I am telling you that all the time?" Scheikowitz replied. "_Aber_
we sell here a popular-price line, Elkan. So what is the use talking we
ain't ekvipt for a highgrade line."

"What d'ye mean we ain't equipped, Mr. Scheikowitz?" Elkan protested.
"We got here machines and we got here fixtures, and all we need it now
is a highgrade designer and a couple really good cutters like that new
feller which is working for us."

"That's all right, too, Elkan," Marcus Polatkin interrupted; "but it
ain't the ekvipment which it is so important. The reputation which we
got for selling a popular-price line we couldn't get rid of so easy,
understand me, and that _Betzimmer_ buyer of Kammerman's wouldn't got no
confidence in us at all. The way he figures it we could just so much
turn out a highgrade line of goods here as you could expect a feller
which is acting in a moving pictures to all of a sudden sing like
Charuso."

"Besides," Scheikowitz added, "highgrade designers and really good
cutters means more capital, Elkan."

"The capital you shouldn't worry about at all," Elkan retorted. "Next
week my Yetta gets falling due a second mortgage from old man Flixman
for five thousand dollars, and----"

Polatkin made a flapping gesture with his right hand.

"Keep your money, Elkan," he said. "You could got lots of better ways to
invest it for Yetta as fixing ourselves up to sell big _Machers_ like
Joseph Kammerman."

"But it don't do no harm I should drop in and see them people. Ain't
it?"

"Sure not," Scheikowitz continued as he swung round in his revolving
chair and seized a pile of cutting clips. "They got an elegant store
there on Fifth Avenue which it is a pleasure to go into even; and the
worst that happens you, Elkan, is you are out a good cigar for that Mr.
Dalzell up there."

Elkan nodded gloomily, and as he left the office Polatkin's face relaxed
in an indulgent smile.

"The boy is getting awful ambitious lately, Scheikowitz," he said.

"What d'ye mean, ambitious?" Philip Scheikowitz cried angrily. "If you
would be only twenty-three years of age, Polatkin, and married to a rich
girl, understand me--and also partner in a good concern, which the whole
thing he done it himself, Polatkin--you would act a whole lot more
ambitious as he does. Instead of knocking the boy, Polatkin, you should
ought to give him credit for what he done."

"Who is knocking the boy?" Polatkin demanded. "All I says is the boy is
ambitious, Schei