telling about what a millionaire like Kammerman says
to him the other day, or what he says to Mandelberger, of Chicago,
y'understand--and I couldn't say nothing! If I would commence to tell
'em what I says to such customers of ours like One-Eye Feigenbaum _oder_
H. Margonin, of Bridgetown, understand me, they would laugh me in my
face yet."

Yetta pressed his arm consolingly as they ascended the stoop of Max
Koblin's house on Mount Morris Park West, and two minutes later they
entered the front parlour of that luxurious residence.

"And do you know what he says to me?" a penetrating barytone voice
announced as they came in. "He says to me, 'Benson,' he says, 'I've been
putting on musical shows now for fifteen years, and an idee like that
comes from a genius already. There's a fortune in it!'"

At this juncture Mrs. Koblin noted the arrival of the last of her
guests.

"Why, hello, Yetta!" she cried, rising to her feet. "Ain't you
fashionable getting here so late?"

She kissed Yetta and held out a hand to Elkan as she spoke.

"Ain't you ashamed of yourself, Elkan, keeping Yetta's dinner waiting
because you claim you're so busy downtown?" she went on. "I guess you
know everybody here except Mr. Benson."

She nodded toward the promulgator of Heaven-born ideas, who bowed
solemnly.

"Pleased to meet you, Mister----"

"Lubliner," Elkan said.

"Mister Lubliner," Benson repeated, passing his begemmed fingers through
a shock of black, curly hair. "And the long and short of it is," he
continued, addressing the company, "to-morrow I'm getting a scenario
along them lines I just indicated to you from one of the highest-grade
fellers that's writing."

Here ensued a pause, during which B. Gans searched his mind for an
anecdote concerning some retailer of sufficiently good financial
standing, while Joseph Schwefel, of Schwefel & Zucker, cleared his
throat preparatory to launching a verbatim report of a conversation
between himself and a buyer for one of the most exclusive costume houses
on Fifth Avenue; but even as Schwefel rounded his lips to enunciate an
introductory "Er," Benson obtained a fresh start.

"Now you remember 'The Diners Out,' Ryan & Bernbaum's production last
season?" he said, addressing Elkan. "In that show they had an idee like
this: Eight ponies is let down from the flies--see?--and George DeFrees
makes his entrance in a practical airyoplane--I think it was George
DeFrees was working for Ryan & Bernbaum