Mariahadbeencontentmerelytorememberit；butZerkow’savaricegoadedhimtoabeliefthatitwasstillinexistence，hidsomewhere，perhapsinthatveryhouse，stowedawaytherebyMaria。Foritstoodtoreason，didn’tit，thatMariacouldnothavedescribeditwithsuchwonderfulaccuracyandsuchcarefuldetailunlessshehadseenitrecently——thedaybefore，perhaps，orthatveryday，orthatveryhour，thatveryHOUR？
“Lookoutforyourself，“hewhispered，hoarsely，tohiswife。“Lookoutforyourself，mygirl。I’llhuntforit，andhuntforit，andhuntforit，andsomedayI’llfindit——Iwill，you’llsee——I’llfindit，I’llfindit；andifIdon’t，I’llfindawaythat’llmakeyoutellmewhereitis。I’llmakeyouspeak——believeme，Iwill，Iwill，mygirl——trustmeforthat。“
AndatnightMariawouldsometimeswaketofindZerkowgonefromthebed，andwouldseehimburrowingintosomecornerbythelightofhisdark-lanternandwouldhearhimmumblingtohimself：“Thereweremore’nahundredpieces，andeveryoneof’emgold——whentheleathertrunkwasopeneditfairdazzledyoureyes——why，justthatpunch-
bowlwasworthafortune，Iguess；solid，solid，heavy，rich，puregold，nothunbutgold，gold，heapsandheapsofit——whataglory！I’llfindityet，I’llfindit。It’sheresomewheres，hidsomewheresinthishouse。“
Atlengthhiscontinuedillsuccessbegantoexasperatehim。
OnedayhetookhiswhipfromhisjunkwagonandthrashedMariawithit，gaspingthewhile，“Whereisit，youbeast？
Whereisit？Tellmewhereitis；I’llmakeyouspeak。“
“Idon’know，Idon’know，“criedMaria，dodginghisblows。
“I’dtellyou，Zerkow，ifIknew；butIdon’knownothingaboutit。HowcanItellyouifIdon’know？“
Thenoneeveningmattersreachedacrisis。MarcusSchoulerwasinhisroom，theroomintheflatjustoverMcTeague’s“Parlors“whichhehadalwaysoccupied。Itwasbetweenelevenandtwelveo’clock。Thevasthousewasquiet；PolkStreetoutsidewasverystill，exceptfortheoccasionalwhirrandtrundleofapassingcablecarandthepersistentcallingofducksandgeeseinthedesertedmarketdirectlyopposite。Marcuswasinhisshirtsleeves，perspiringandswearingwithexertionashetriedtogetallhisbelongingsintoanabsurdlyinadequatetrunk。Theroomwasingreatconfusion。ItlookedasthoughMarcuswasabouttomove。
Hestoodinfrontofhistrunk，hisprecioussilkhatinitshat-boxinhishand。Hewasragingattheperversenessofapairofbootsthatrefusedtofitinhistrunk，nomatterhowhearrangedthem。
“I’vetriedyouSO，andI’vetriedyouSO，“heexclaimedfiercely，betweenhisteeth，“andyouwon’tgo。“
Hebegantoswearhorribly，grabbingatthebootswithhisfreehand。“PrettysoonIwon’ttakeyouatall；Iwon’t，forafact。“
Hewasinterruptedbyarushoffeetuponthebackstairsandaclamorouspoundinguponhisdoor。HeopenedittoletinMariaMacapa，herhairdishevelledandhereyesstartingwithterror。
“Oh，MISTERSchouler，“shegasped，“lockthedoorquick。Don’tlethimgetme。He’sgotaknife，andhesayssurehe’sgoingtodoforme，ifIdon’ttellhimwhereitis。“
“Whohas？Whathas？Whereiswhat？“shoutedMarcus，flamingwithexcitementupontheinstant。Heopenedthedoorandpeereddownthedarkhall，bothfistsclenched，readytofight——hedidnotknowwhom，andhedidnotknowwhy。
“It’sZerkow，“wailedMaria，pullinghimbackintotheroomandboltingthedoor，“andhe’sgotaknifeaslongasTHAT。Oh，myLord，herehecomesnow！Ain’tthathim？
Listen。“
Zerkowwascomingupthestairs，callingforMaria。
“Don’tyoulethimgetme，willyou，MisterSchouler？“
gaspedMaria。
“I’llbreakhimintwo，“shoutedMarcus，lividwithrage。
“ThinkI’mafraidofhisknife？“
“Iknowwhereyouare，“criedZerkow，onthelandingoutside。“You’reinSchouler’sroom。WhatareyoudoinginSchouler’sroomatthistimeofnight？Comeoutathere；yououghtabeashamed。I’lldoforyouyet，mygirl。Comeoutathereonce，an’seeifIdon’t。“
“I’lldoforyoumyself，youdirtyJew，“shoutedMarcus，unboltingthedoorandrunningoutintothehall。
“Iwantmywife，“exclaimedtheJew，backingdownthestairs。“What’sshemeanbyrunningawayfrommeandgoingintoyourroom？“
“Lookout，he’sgotaknife！“criedMariathroughthecrackofthedoor。
“Ah，thereyouare。Comeoutathat，andcomebackhome，“
exclaimedZerkow。
“Getoutahereyourself，“criedMarcus，advancingonhimangrily。“Getoutahere。“
“Maria’sgotacometoo。“
“Getoutahere，“vociferatedMarcus，“an’putupthatknife。
Iseeit；youneedn’ttryan’hideitbehindyourleg。
Giveittome，anyhow，“heshoutedsuddenly，andbeforeZerkowwasaware，Marcushadwrencheditaway。“Now，getoutahere。“
Zerkowbackedaway，peeringandpeepingoverMarcus’sshoulder。
“IwantMaria。“
“Getoutahere。Getalongout，orI’llPUTyouout。“
Thestreetdoorclosed。TheJewwasgone。
“Huh！“snortedMarcus，swellingwitharrogance。“Huh！
ThinkI’mafraidofhisknife？Iain’tafraidofANYBODY，“heshoutedpointedly，forMcTeagueandhiswife，rousedbytheclamor，werepeeringoverthebanistersfromthelandingabove。“Notofanybody，“repeatedMarcus。
Mariacameoutintothehall。
“Ishegone？Ishesuregone？“
“Whatwasthetrouble？“inquiredMarcus，suddenly。
“Iwokeupaboutanhourago，“Mariaexplained，“andZerkowwasn’tinbed；maybehehadn’tcometobedatall。Hewasdownonhiskneesbythesink，andhe’dpriedupsomeboardsoffthefloorandwasdiggingthere。Hehadhisdark-
lantern。Hewasdiggingwiththatknife，Iguess，andallthetimehekeptmumblingtohimself，’More’nahundredpieces，an’everyoneof’emgold；more’nahundredpieces，an’everyoneof’emgold。’Then，allofasudden，hecaughtsightofme。Iwassittingupinbed，andhejumpedupandcameatmewithhisknife，an’hesays，’Whereisit？Whereisit？Iknowyougotithidsomewhere。Whereisit？TellmeorI’llknifeyou。’IkindoffooledhimandkepthimofftillIgotmywrapperon，an’thenIrunout。Ididn’tdarestay。“
“Well，whatdidyoutellhimaboutyourgolddishesforinthefirstplace？“criedMarcus。
“Inevertoldhim，“protestedMaria，withthegreatestenergy。“Inevertoldhim；Ineverheardofanygolddishes。
Idon’knowwherehegottheidea；hemustbecrazy。“
BythistimeTrinaandMcTeague，OldGrannis，andlittleMissBaker——allthelodgersontheupperfloorsoftheflat——hadgatheredaboutMaria。Trinaandthedentist，whohadgonetobed，werepartiallydressed，andTrina’senormousmaneofblackhairwashangingintwothickbraidsfardownherback。But，lateasitwas，OldGrannisandtheretireddressmakerhadstillbeenupandaboutwhenMariahadarousedthem。
“Why，Maria，“saidTrina，“youalwaysusedtotellusaboutyourgolddishes。Yousaidyourfolksusedtohavethem。“
“Never，never，never！“exclaimedMaria，vehemently。“Youfolksmustallbecrazy。IneverHEARDofanygolddishes。“
“Well，“spokeupMissBaker，“you’reaqueergirl，Maria；
that’sallIcansay。“Sheleftthegroupandreturnedtoherroom。OldGranniswatchedhergofromthecornerofhiseye，andinafewmomentsfollowedher，leavingthegroupasunnoticedashehadjoinedit。Bydegreestheflatquieteddownagain。TrinaandMcTeaguereturnedtotheirrooms。
“IguessI’llgobacknow，“saidMaria。“He’sallrightnow。Iain’tafraidofhimsolongasheain’tgothisknife。“
“Well，say，“Marcuscalledtoherasshewentdownstairs，“ifhegetsfunnyagain，youjustyellout；I’LLhearyou。Iwon’tlethimhurtyou。“
Marcuswentintohisroomagainandresumedhiswranglewiththerefractoryboots。HiseyefellonZerkow’sknife，along，keen-bladedhunting-knife，withabuckhornhandle。
“I’lltakeyoualongwithme，“heexclaimed，suddenly。
“I’lljustneedyouwhereI’mgoing。“
Meanwhile，oldMissBakerwasmakingteatocalmhernervesaftertheexcitementofMaria’sincursion。Thiseveningshewentsofarastomaketeafortwo，layinganextraplaceontheothersideofherlittleteatable，settingoutacupandsaucerandoneoftheGorhamsilverspoons。CloseupontheothersideofthepartitionOldGrannisbounduncutnumbersofthe“Nation。“
“DoyouknowwhatIthink，Mac？“saidTrina，whenthecouplehadreturnedtotheirrooms。“IthinkMarcusisgoingaway。“
“What？What？“mutteredthedentist，verysleepyandstupid，“whatyousaying？What’sthataboutMarcus？“
“IbelieveMarcushasbeenpackingup，thelasttwoorthreedays。Iwonderifhe’sgoingaway。“
“Who’sgoingaway？“saidMcTeague，blinkingather。
“Oh，gotobed，“saidTrina，pushinghimgoodnaturedly。
“Mac，you’rethestupidestmanIeverknew。“
Butitwastrue。Marcuswasgoingaway。Trinareceivedaletterthenextmorningfromhermother。Thecarpet-
cleaningandupholsterybusinessinwhichMr。Sieppehadinvolvedhimselfwasgoingfrombadtoworse。Mr。Sieppehadevenbeenobligedtoputamortgageupontheirhouse。
Mrs。Sieppedidn’tknowwhatwastobecomeofthemall。HerhusbandhadevenbeguntotalkofemigratingtoNewZealand。
Meanwhile，sheinformedTrinathatMr。SieppehadfinallycomeacrossamanwithwhomMarcuscould“goinwithonaranch，“acattleranchinthesoutheasternportionoftheState。Herideaswerevagueuponthesubject，butsheknewthatMarcuswaswildlyenthusiasticattheprospect，andwasexpecteddownbeforetheendofthemonth。Inthemeantime，couldTrinasendthemfiftydollars？