Part 39 (1/2)

First, we would find out what he makes this young feller arrested for.”

The deputy marshal nodded.

”That's all right,” he said. ”You're ent.i.tled to know it. He's arrested on the complaint of the Russian Consulate for something he did in Russia two years ago.”

”In Russia!” Abe exclaimed. ”Two years ago! Mawruss, do me a favour. You stay in the store and I would go with him.”

Felix Geigermann placed his hand on Abe's arm.

”Say, lookyhere, Abe,” he said. ”I'll tell you the truth. I am pretty busy to-day here to cancel them 4022's; but now I don't care at all. You could s.h.i.+p them goods if you want to, Abe; but one thing I ask you as a favour--let me go with him. I don't care what the other feller says. I am just now talking to this here young feller and if he done anything in Russia, understand me, I would eat it. So you stay here and tend to business and I would go with him.”

Morris drew on his overcoat with force sufficient to rip the sleeve-lining. ”Nathan, the s.h.i.+pping clerk, could tend the store, Abe,”

he declared, ”and we'll all go with him.”

”In the first place, Mawruss,” Abe said, after they had returned from the United States Commissioner's office, where Cesar Kovalenko had been arraigned and committed without bail to the Tombs--”in the first place what are we bothering our heads about this young feller? Of course, when I was down there, Mawruss, and see that feller from the Russian counsellor's office, which he is got a face, Mawruss, hard like iron, y'understand, I didn't say nothing; but the way you are going to work and telephoning to Henry D. Feldman and everything, Mawruss--before we would get through with him it would cost us anyhow a couple hundred dollars.”

”Geigermann says he would go half,” Morris said.

”Sure, I know, Mawruss; but just because Geigermann acts like a sucker, Mawruss, why should we get ourselves into it too? Furthermore, Mawruss, how do we know Geigermann would go half? He's that kind of feller, Mawruss, that when he says something he don't take it so particular he should stick to it, Mawruss. One day he gives us an order and the next day cancels it, Mawruss--and that's the kind of a man he is.”

”He didn't cancel it, Abe,” Morris cried. ”He was going to cancel it, but he changed his mind.”

”Sure, he changed his mind,” Abe interrupted; ”and what is going to hinder him changing his mind on this other proposition, Mawruss? You could take it from me, Mawruss, when the time comes he should pay up, understand me, it'll be a case of _nix wissen_--and don't you forget it.”

Morris shrugged impatiently.

”_Nu_, Abe,” he said; ”what could we do? Once in a while we couldn't help ourselves, y'understand. Should we let this poor greenhorn be sent back to Russland, which he ain't got a relative in the world, understand me, except his cousin, which he is just as poor as Kovalenko?”

”That's all right, Mawruss,” Abe declared. ”I ain't kicking we shouldn't help the feller. All I am saying is there's lots of our people which they got more dollars as we got dimes. Take Moses M. Steuermann, for instance; there's a feller which he is such a big charity feller, understand me, why shouldn't he help Kovalenko?”

”Well, in the first place, no one tells him about it, Abe,” Morris said, ”and in the second place----”

”But why don't we tell him about it, Mawruss?” Abe interrupted. ”Why don't you go down to see him, Mawruss, and tell him all about it?”

”Me go down to see him, Abe!” Morris cried. ”Why, the feller is a multimillionaire. With such people like that I couldn't open my mouth at all. Why don't you go down to see him?”

”Why should I go down?” Abe asked. ”You are the lodge brother here, Mawruss--ain't it? You are the one which you are always sitting up till all hours of the night making motions. I couldn't make a motion to save my life, Mawruss, and you know it.”

”Sure, I know,” Morris protested; ”but lodge meetings is something else again. A feller could talk at a lodge meeting--and what is it? A couple young lawyers which they couldn't even pay their laundry bills, y'understand, and a dozen other fellers, insurance brokers _oder_ cigar dealers, and most of 'em old-timers at that--why should I be afraid to say a little something to 'em? But with a feller like Moses M.

Steuermann, which his folks was bankers in Frankfort-on-the-Main when Carnegie and Vanderbilt and all them other _goyim_ was new beginners yet, Abe--that's a different proposition entirely.”

Abe nodded and remained silent for a few minutes.

”Might Felix Geigermann would go down and see him, Mawruss,” he suggested finally. ”It wouldn't do no harm we should ring him up anyhow.”

”Go as far as you like, Abe,” Morris said, and Abe started immediately for the telephone.

”I spoke to Felix, Mawruss,” he announced a few minutes later, ”and Felix said he would go right down and see him. He ain't so stuck on paying Feldman a couple hundred dollars neither.”