At this juncture the triggered bell rang loudly, and raising his hand for silence Ringentaub returned to the store.
He addressed a broad-shouldered figure arrayed in the height of Canal Street fashion.
Aside from his clothing, however, there was little to betray the connoisseur of fine arts and antiques in the person of Jacob Paul, who possessed the brisk, businesslike manner and steel-blue eyes of a detective sergeant.
"Hello, Ringentaub!" he said. "You are doing a rushing business here--ain't it? More customers in the back room too?"
He glanced sharply at the open doorway in the partition, through which Elkan and Dishkes could be seen engaged in earnest conversation.
"_Yow_--customers!" Ringentaub exclaimed. "You know how it is in the antic business, Mr. Paul. For a hundred that looks, understand me, one buys; and that one, Mr. Paul, he comes into your place a dozen times before he makes up his mind yet."
"Well," Paul said with a smile, "I've made up my mind at last, Ringentaub, and I'll take them other two chairs at forty-five dollars."
"I thought you would, Mr. Paul," he said; "but just the same you are a little late, on account this here gentleman already bought 'em for fifty dollars."
A shade of disappointment passed over Paul's face as he turned to Max Merech.
"Merech," Paul continued. "You paid a high price for a couple of good pieces."
"I ain't paying nothing," Max replied. "I bought 'em for this lady here and her husband."
It was then that Jacob Paul for the first time noticed Yetta's presence, and he bowed apologetically.
"Is he also a collector?" he asked, and Max shook his head.
"He's in the garment business," Yetta volunteered, "for himself."
A puzzled expression wrinkled Paul's flat nose.
"I guess I ain't caught the name," he said.
"Lubliner," Yetta replied; "Elkan Lubliner, of Polatkin, Scheikowitz & Company."
"You don't tell me?" Jacob Paul said. "And so Mr. Lubliner is interested in antiques. That's quite a jump, from cloaks and suits to antiques already."
"Well," Merech explained, "Mr. Lubliner is refurnishing his house."
"Maybe," Elkan added as he appeared in the doorway of the partition, followed by Dishkes and Mrs. Ringentaub. "Buying a couple pieces of furniture is one thing, Merech, and refurnishing your house is another."