Part 14 (2/2)

”Out!” he cried. ”Out of here before I am sending for a policeman to give you arrested.”

”Don't make me no bluffs, Seiden!” Sternsilver answered calmly. ”Either you would got to settle with me now _oder_ I would go right upstairs and tell them commission houses and customers which you got there all about it. What do you take me for, Seiden--a greenhorn?”

”Fatkin,” Seiden commanded, ”do you hear what I am telling you? Take this loafer and throw him into the street.”

”Me?” Fatkin said. ”What are you talking nonsense, Mr. Seiden? I should throw him into the street when I am standing to lose on the coat alone ten dollars!”

Seiden looked at Fatkin and the validity of his objection was at once apparent.

”_Nu_, Sternsilver,” he said. ”Be a good feller. Here is five dollars.

Go away and leave us alone.”

Sternsilver laughed aloud.

”You are talking like I would be a child, Seiden!” he said. ”Either you would give me cash a hundred dollars _oder_ I would go right away upstairs to the customers.”

Seiden turned to Fatkin.

”Fatkin,” he said, ”I am giving you this evening three hundred dollars.

Give him a hundred dollars and be done with it.”

”What d'ye mean, me give him a hundred dollars, Mr. Seiden?” Fatkin demanded. ”They ain't my customers.”

At this juncture the proprietor of the hall opened the door.

”Mr. Seiden,” he said, ”everybody is through eating; so, if you would give me the key to the suitcase which you got the cigars and _Schnapps_ in, Mr. Seiden, I would hand 'em around.”

”I'll be there in a minute,” Seiden replied. He turned to Sternsilver and made one last appeal. ”_Nu_, Sternsilver,” he said, ”would you take a check?”

”_Oser_ a _Stuck_,” Sternsilver declared; but, although for five minutes he maintained his refusal, he finally relented.

”Well, Mr. Seiden,” he said, offering his hand, ”I congradulate you.”

Seiden refused the proffered palm and started for the door. Before he reached it, however, Fatkin grabbed him by the arm.

”At such a time like this, Mr. Seiden,” he said, ”you couldn't afford to be small.”

Once more Sternsilver held out his hand and this time Seiden shook it limply.

”No bad feelings, Mr. Seiden,” Sternsilver said, and Seiden shrugged impatiently.

”You, I don't blame at all, Sternsilver,” he said. ”I am making from my own self a sucker yet. A feller shouldn't never even begin with his wife's relations.”

At the end of a year Hillel Fatkin left the employ of the Sanspareil Waist Company to embark in the garment business on his own account.

Many reasons contributed to this move, chief of which was the arrival of a son in Fatkin's household.

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