“Withhisfingers！Now，thinkofthat，“exclaimedMissBaker，waggingherhead。“Isn’thethatstrong！It’sjustwonderful。Cleaninghouseto-day？“sheinquired，glancingatTrina’stowelledhead。
　　“Umhum，“answeredTrina。“MariaMacapa’scomingintohelpprettysoon。“
　　AtthementionofMaria’snamethelittleolddressmakersuddenlyutteredanexclamation。
　　“Well，ifI’mnotheretalkingtoyouandforgettingsomethingIwasjustdyingtotellyou。Mrs。McTeague，whateverintheworlddoyousuppose？MariaandoldZerkow，thatred-headedPolishJew，therag-bottles-sacksman，youknow，they’regoingtobemarried。“
　　“No！“criedTrina，inblankamazement。“Youdon’tmeanit。“
　　“OfcourseIdo。Isn’titthefunniestthingyoueverheardof？“
　　“Oh，tellmeallaboutit，“saidTrina，leaningeagerlyfromthewindow。MissBakercrossedthestreetandstoodjustbeneathher。
　　“Well，Mariacametomelastnightandwantedmetomakeheranewgown，saidshewantedsomethinggay，likewhatthegirlsatthecandystorewearwhentheygooutwiththeiryoungmen。Icouldn’ttellwhathadgotintothegirl，untilfinallyshetoldmeshewantedsomethingtogetmarriedin，andthatZerkowhadaskedhertomarryhim，andthatshewasgoingtodoit。PoorMaria！Iguessit’sthefirstandonlyoffersheeverreceived，andit’sjustturnedherhead。“
　　“ButwhatDOthosetwoseeineachother？“criedTrina。
　　“Zerkowisahorror，he’sanoldman，andhishairisredandhisvoiceisgone，andthenhe’saJew，isn’the？“
　　“Iknow，Iknow；butit’sMaria’sonlychanceforahusband，andshedon’tmeantoletitpass。Youknowsheisn’tquiterightinherhead，anyhow。I’mawfullysorryforpoorMaria。ButIcan’tseewhatZerkowwantstomarryherfor。It’snotpossiblethathe’sinlovewithMaria，it’soutofthequestion。Mariahasn’tasou，either，andI’mjustpositivethatZerkowhaslotsofmoney。“
　　“I’llbetIknowwhy，“exclaimedTrina，withsuddenconviction；“yes，Iknowjustwhy。Seehere，MissBaker，youknowhowcrazyoldZerkowisaftermoneyandgoldandthosesortofthings。“
　　“Yes，Iknow；butyouknowMariahasn’t——“
　　“Now，justlisten。You’veheardMariatellaboutthatwonderfulserviceofgolddishesshesaysherfolksusedtoowninCentralAmerica；she’scrazyonthatsubject，don’tyouknow。She’sallrightoneverythingelse，butjuststartheronthatserviceofgoldplateandshe’lltalkyoudeaf。Shecandescribeitjustasthoughshesawit，andshecanmakeyouseeit，too，almost。Now，yousee，MariaandZerkowhaveknowneachotherprettywell。Mariagoestohimeverytwoweeksorsotosellhimjunk；theygotacquaintedthatway，andIknowMaria’sbeendroppingintoseehimprettyoftenthislastyear，andsometimeshecomesheretoseeher。He’smadeMariatellhimthestoryofthatplateoverandoverandoveragain，andMariadoesitandisgladto，becausehe’stheonlyonethatbelievesit。Nowhe’sgoingtomarryherjustso’shecanhearthatstoryeveryday，everyhour。He’sprettynearascrazyonthesubjectasMariais。They’reapairforyou，aren’tthey？
　　Bothcrazyoveralotofgolddishesthatneverexisted。
　　PerhapsMaria’llmarryhimbecauseit’sheronlychancetogetahusband，butI’msureit’smoreforthereasonthatshe’sgotsomeonetotalktonowwhobelievesherstory。
　　Don’tyouthinkI’mright？“
　　“Yes，yes，Iguessyou’reright，“admittedMissBaker。
　　“Butit’saqueermatchanywayyouputit，“saidTrina，musingly。
　　“Ah，youmaywellsaythat，“returnedtheother，noddingherhead。Therewasasilence。Foralongmomentthedentist’swifeandtheretireddressmaker，theoneatthewindow，theotheronthesidewalk，remainedlostinthought，wonderingoverthestrangenessoftheaffair。
　　Butsuddenlytherewasadiversion。Alexander，MarcusSchouler’sIrishsetter，whomhismasterhadlongsinceallowedthelibertyofrunninguntrammelledabouttheneighborhood，turnedthecornerbrisklyandcametrottingalongthesidewalkwhereMissBakerstood。AtthesamemomenttheScotchcolliewhohadatonetimebelongedtothebranchpost-officeissuedfromthesidedoorofahousenotfiftyfeetaway。Inaninstantthetwoenemieshadrecognizedeachother。Theyhaltedabruptly，theirforefeetplantedrigidly。Trinautteredalittlecry。
　　“Oh，lookout，MissBaker。Thosetwodogshateeachotherjustlikehumans。Youbestlookout。They’llfightsure。“
　　MissBakersoughtsafetyinanearbyvestibule，whenceshepeeredforthatthescene，veryinterestedandcurious。
　　MariaMacapa’sheadthrustitselffromoneofthetop-storywindowsoftheflat，withashrillcry。EvenMcTeague’shugeformappearedabovethehalfcurtainsofthe“Parlor“
　　windows，whileoverhisshouldercouldbeseenthefaceofthe“patient，“anapkintuckedinhiscollar，therubberdamdependingfromhismouth。Alltheflatknewofthefeudbetweenthedogs，butneverbeforehadthepairbeenbroughtfacetoface。
　　Meanwhile，thecollieandthesetterhaddrawnneartoeachother；fivefeetaparttheypausedasifbymutualconsent。
　　Thecollieturnedsidewisetothesetter；thesetterinstantlywheeledhimselfflankontothecollie。Theirtailsroseandstiffened，theyraisedtheirlipsovertheirlongwhitefangs，thenapesoftheirnecksbristled，andtheyshowedeachothertheviciouswhitesoftheireyes，whiletheydrewintheirbreathswithprolongedandraspingsnarls。Eachdogseemedtobethepersonificationoffuryandunsatisfiedhate。Theybegantocircleabouteachotherwithinfiniteslowness，walkingstiffed-leggedandupontheverypointsoftheirfeet。Thentheywheeledaboutandbegantocircleintheoppositedirection。Twicetheyrepeatedthismotion，theirsnarlsgrowinglouder。Butstilltheydidnotcometogether，andthedistanceoffivefeetbetweenthemwasmaintainedwithanalmostmathematicalprecision。Itwasmagnificent，butitwasnotwar。Thenthesetter，pausinginhiswalk，turnedhisheadslowlyfromhisenemy。Thecolliesniffedtheairandpretendedaninterestinanoldshoelyinginthegutter。Graduallyandwithallthedignityofmonarchstheymovedawayfromeachother。Alexanderstalkedbacktothecornerofthestreet。
　　Thecolliepacedtowardthesidegatewhencehehadissued，affectingtoremembersomethingofgreatimportance。
　　Theydisappeared。Onceoutofsightofoneanothertheybegantobarkfuriously。
　　“Well，INEVER！“exclaimedTrinaingreatdisgust。“Thewaythosetwodogshavebeencarryingonyou’d’a’thoughttheywould’a’justtorneachothertopieceswhentheyhadthechance，andhereI’mwastingthewholemorning——“sheclosedherwindowwithabang。
　　“Sick’im，sick’im，“calledMariaMacapa，inavainattempttopromoteafight。
　　OldMissBakercameoutofthevestibule，pursingherlips，quiteputoutatthefiasco。“Andafterallthatfuss，“shesaidtoherselfaggrievedly。
　　Thelittledressmakerboughtanenvelopeofnasturtiumseedsattheflorist’s，andreturnedtohertinyroomintheflat。
　　ButassheslowlymountedthefirstflightofstepsshesuddenlycamefacetofacewithOldGrannis，whowascomingdown。Itwasbetweeneightandnine，andhewasonhiswaytohislittledoghospital，nodoubt。InstantlyMissBakerwasseizedwithtrepidation，hercuriouslittlefalsecurlsshook，afaint——averyfaint——flushcameintoherwitheredcheeks，andherheartbeatsoviolentlyundertheworstedshawlthatshefeltobligedtoshiftthemarket-baskettoherotherarmandputoutherfreehandtosteadyherselfagainsttherail。
　　Onhispart，OldGranniswasinstantlyoverwhelmedwithconfusion。Hisawkwardnessseemedtoparalyzehislimbs，hislipstwitchedandturneddry，hishandwenttremblinglytohischin。ButwhataddedtoMissBaker’smiserableembarrassmentonthisoccasionwasthefactthattheoldEnglishmanshouldmeetherthus，carryingasordidmarket-
　　basketfullofsordidfishandcabbage。Itseemedasifamaliciousfatepersistedinbringingthetwooldpeoplefacetofaceatthemostinopportunemoments。
　　Justnow，however，averitablecatastropheoccurred。Thelittleolddressmakerchangedherbaskettoherotherarmatpreciselythewrongmoment，andOldGrannis，hasteningtopass，removinghishatinahurriedsalutation，struckitwithhisforearm，knockingitfromhergrasp，andsendingitrollingandbumpingdownthestairs。Thesolefellflatuponthefirstlanding；thelentilsscatteredthemselvesovertheentireflight；whilethecabbage，leapingfromsteptostep，thundereddowntheinclineandbroughtupagainstthestreetdoorwithashockthatreverberatedthroughtheentirebuilding。
　　Thelittleretireddressmaker，horriblyvexed，nervousandembarrassed，washardputtoittokeepbackthetears。OldGrannisstoodforamomentwithavertedeyes，murmuring：
　　“Oh，I’msosorry，I’msosorry。I——Ireally——Ibegyourpardon，really——really。“
　　MarcusSchouler，comingdownstairsfromhisroom，savedthesituation。
　　“Hello，people，“hecried。“Bydamn！you’veupsetyourbasket——youhave，forafact。Here，let’spickumup。“HeandOldGranniswentupanddowntheflight，gatheringupthefish，thelentils，andthesadlybatteredcabbage。
　　MarcuswasragingoverthepusillanimityofAlexander，ofwhichMariahadjusttoldhim。
　　“I’llcuthimintwo——withthewhip，“heshouted。“Iwill，Iwill，IsayIwill，forafact。Hewouldn’tfight，hey？
　　I’llgiveumallthefighthewants，nasty，mangycur。Ifhewon’tfighthewon’teat。I’mgoingtogetthebutcher’sbullpupandI’llputumbothinabagandshakeumup。I
　　will，forafact，andIguessAlecwillfight。Comealong，MisterGrannis，“andhetooktheoldEnglishmanaway。
　　LittleMissBakerhastenedtoherroomandlockedherselfin。Shewasexcitedandupsetduringalltherestoftheday，andlistenedeagerlyforOldGrannis’sreturnthatevening。Hewentinstantlytoworkbindingup“TheBreederandSportsman，“andbacknumbersofthe“Nation。“Sheheardhimsoftlydrawhischairandthetableonwhichhehadplacedhislittlebindingapparatusclosetothewall。Atonceshedidthesame，brewingherselfacupoftea。Allthroughthateveningthetwooldpeople“keptcompany“witheachother，aftertheirownpeculiarfashion。“Settingoutwitheachother“MissBakerhadbeguntocallit。Thattheyhadbeenpresented，thattheyhadevenbeenforcedtotalktogether，hadmadenochangeintheirrelativepositions。Almostimmediatelytheyhadfallenbackintotheiroldwaysagain，quiteunabletomastertheirtimidity，toovercomethestiflingembarrassmentthatseizeduponthemwhenineachother’spresence。Itwasasortofhypnotism，athingstrongerthanthemselves。Buttheywerenotaltogetherdissatisfiedwiththewaythingshadcometobe。
　　Itwastheirlittleromance，theirlast，andtheywerelivingthroughitwithsupremeenjoymentandcalmcontentment。
　　MarcusSchoulerstilloccupiedhisoldroomonthefloorabovetheMcTeagues。Theysawbutlittleofhim，however。
　　Atlongintervalsthedentistorhiswifemethimonthestairsoftheflat。SometimeshewouldstopandtalkwithTrina，inquiringaftertheSieppes，askingherifMr。Sieppehadyetheardofanyonewithwhomhe，Marcus，could“goinwithonaranch。“McTeague，Marcusmerelynoddedto。Neverhadthequarrelbetweenthetwomenbeencompletelypatchedup。ItdidnotseempossibletothedentistnowthatMarcushadeverbeenhis“pal，“thattheyhadevertakenlongwalkstogether。HewassorrythathehadtreatedMarcusgratisforanulceratedtooth，whileMarcusdailyrecalledthefactthathehadgivenuphis“girl“tohisfriend——thegirlwhohadwonafortune——asthegreatmistakeofhislife。OnlyoncesincetheweddinghadhecalleduponTrina，atatimewhenheknewMcTeaguewouldbeout。Trinahadshownhimthroughtheroomsandhadtoldhim，innocentlyenough，howgaywastheirlifethere。Marcushadcomeawayfairlysickwithenvy；hisrancoragainstthedentist——andagainsthimself，forthatmatter——knewnobounds。“Andyoumight’a’haditallyourself，MarcusSchouler，“hemutteredtohimselfonthestairs。“Youmushhead，youdamnfool！“