Part 2 (2/2)
”Thanks; much obliged,” he said hoa.r.s.ely.
”Don't mention it,” she commented as she returned to the office.
Aaron looked after her in blank surprise. ”Sure not,” he muttered, starting off for the showroom in long, frightened strides.
”Say, Max,” he said, ”what's the matter with that girl? Is she _verruckt_?”
”_Verruckt!_” Max exclaimed. ”What d'ye mean--_verruckt_? Say, lookyhere, Aaron, you should be careful what you are saying about a lady like Miss Meyerson. She already found where Louis Sen makes mistakes, which _Gott weiss wie vile_ it costed us yet. You shouldn't say nothing about that girl, Aaron, because she is a cracker-jack, A Number One bookkeeper.”
”Did I say she wasn't?” Aaron replied. ”I am only saying she acts to me very funny, Max. She gives me this here bottle of medicine just now.”
He poked the package at Max, who handled it gingerly, as though it might explode at any minute.
”What d'ye give it to me for?” he cried. ”I don't want it.”
”Well, I don't want it, neither,” Aaron replied. ”She ain't got no right to act fresh like that and give me medicine which I ain't asked for at all.”
He looked exceedingly hurt and voiced his indignation with a tremendous whoop, the forerunner of a dozen minor whoops which shaded off into a succession of wheezes. It seemed to Max and Sam that Aaron would never succeed in catching his breath, and just when he appeared to be at his ultimate gasp Miss Meyerson ran up with a tablespoon. She s.n.a.t.c.hed the bottle from Max's grasp and, tearing off the wrapping paper, she drew the cork and poured a generous dose.
”Take this right now,” she commanded, pressing the spoon to Aaron's lips. With a despairing glance at Max he swallowed the medicine, and immediately afterward made a horrible grimace.
”T'phooee!” he cried. ”What the--what are you trying to do--poison me?”
”That won't poison you,” Miss Meyerson declared. ”It'll do you good.
All he needs is about six more doses, Mr. Fatkin, and he'd be rid of that cough in no time.”
Max nodded.
”Miss Meyerson is right, Aaron,” he said. ”You ought to take care of yourself.”
Aaron wiped his eyes and his moustache with his handkerchief.
”You ain't got maybe a little _schnapps_ in your desk, Max?” he said.
”_Schnapps_ is the worst thing you could take, Mr. Pinsky,” Miss Meyerson cried. ”Don't give him any, Mr. Fatkin; it'll only make him worse.”
She shook her head warningly at Aaron as she and Sam walked back to the office.
”What d'ye think for a fresh woman like that?” he said to Max as Miss Meyerson's head once more bent over her books.
”She ain't fresh, Aaron,” Max replied. ”She's just got a heart, y'understand.”
”But----” Aaron began.
”But nothing, Aaron,” Max broke in. ”I will wrap up the medicine and you will take it home with you. The girl knows what she is talking about, Aaron, and the best thing for you to do is to leave off _schnapps_ a little while and do what she says you should. I see on the bottle it's from Doctor Goldenreich. He's a speci_al_itist from the chest and lungs, and I bet yer if you would go to him he would soak you ten dollars yet.”
<script>