Marcus regarded Birdie in some uneasiness, the color drained out of his face. "Go on, Marcus," she said, with a note of reassurance in her voice. "Everything as you say is grand and fine, Mr. Katzenstein, except--except--well, to-day at lunch I told Birdie some news I just heard, which--which maybe won't make you feel so good; I told her it wasn't too late if she wanted to change her mind about me." "_Ach!_" exclaimed Mrs. Katzenstein, clasping her hands quickly. "Ain't everything all right?" "What you mean, Marcus?" inquired Mr. Katzenstein, glancing up quickly. "What's wrong? Ain't everything all right, children?" "Aw, mamma, it ain't nothing wrong! Don't get so excited over everything." "Birdie's right, mamma--what you so excited about? What is it you got to say, Marcus?" "I ain't frightened; but what's the matter, children? This is what we need yet something to happen when it's all fixed!" "Well, I told Birdie about it at lunch to-day, and--" There was a pause. Birdie linked her arm within the young man's and regarded her parents like a Nemesis at the bar. "It isn't so bad as Marcus makes out, papa." "Well, young man?" questioned Mr. Katzenstein, sharply. "Well, you don't need to holler at him, papa." "I got some bad news to-day, Mr. Katzenstein. The raise I was expecting I don't get--instead of twenty-eight hundred dollars I go only to fifteen. Loeb is going to put his son-in-law, Steinfeld, from Cleveland, in the new factory. I still just got the city trade." "I says to Marcus, papa, it's enough; you and mamma had less than half that much." "_Ach_, my poor baby! My poor baby!" "I ain't your poor baby, mamma. It could be worse--believe me--" "Oh! And I thought he was going to have that grand position and give it to her so fine--how I told everybody; how I--" "Don't get excited, Salcha! Let's sit quiet and talk it over." "Such plans as I had for that girl, papa! I had it all fixed that she should have one of those five rooms and a sleeping-out porch over Batta! Already I talked to Tillie that she should go to her." Mrs. Katzenstein sniffled and wiped each eye with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Katzenstein." "That don't get you nowhere, Mr. Gump. If you had only known this last night! Now what will people say?" "Mamma!" "Nowadays in New York it ain't like it used to be, Mr. Gump; people can't start in on so little--half of what you make costs Birdie's clothes. _Ach_, when I think what that girl is used to! Every comfort she has--you can't give her like she's used to, Mr. Gump." "I told all that to Birdie, Mrs. Katzenstein--I can't give her what she's got at home, and she should take her time to decide." "That's easy enough to say now after it's in everybody's mouth." "That Loeb Brothers should play you such a trick," said Mr. Katzenstein--"a boy that's built up a trade like you!"