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 The stranger winked slowly and made his way in the direction of the sound.

Ella became absent minded, and having failed to rouse her to reply to several sallies, the circle about the counter slowly edged off into the street. As the last one left she locked the shop door after him and hastened to a compartment in the rear. Here, as she expected, she found Abraham in conference with the tall visitor. As she entered her husband was saying in a whining singsong,

“So de kid’s dad got on a jag an’ come here an’ he says he had no food fer ’em ner room ner nothin’, an’ I says, jokin’, ‘Better pawn ’em,’ I says. ‘I'll advance youse five dollars on ’em, seein’ they’re healthy,’ I says, an’ he took me up right off, an’ so as I ain’t never gone back on me business word yet, I—” Rh