Thetwostoodupandfacedeachother，grippinghands。Itwasagreatmoment；evenMcTeaguefeltthedramaofit。
　　Whatafinethingwasthisfriendshipbetweenmen！thedentisttreatshisfriendforanulceratedtoothandrefusespayment；thefriendreciprocatesbygivinguphisgirl。
　　Thiswasnobility。Theirmutualaffectionandesteemsuddenlyincreasedenormously。ItwasDamonandPythias；itwasDavidandJonathan；nothingcouldeverestrangethem。
　　Nowitwasforlifeordeath。
　　“I’mmuchobliged，“murmuredMcTeague。Hecouldthinkofnothingbettertosay。“I’mmuchobliged，“herepeated；
　　“muchobliged，Mark。“
　　“That’sallright，that’sallright，“returnedMarcusSchouler，bravely，anditoccurredtohimtoadd，“You’llbehappytogether。Tellherforme——tellher——tellher——“
　　Marcuscouldnotgoon。Hewrungthedentist’shandsilently。
　　IthadnotappearedtoeitherofthemthatTrinamightrefuseMcTeague。McTeague’sspiritsroseatonce。InMarcus’swithdrawalhefanciedhesawanendtoallhisdifficulties。Everythingwouldcomeright，afterall。Thestrained，exaltedstateofMarcus’snervesendedbyputtinghimintofinehumoraswell。Hisgriefsuddenlychangedtoanexcessofgaiety。Theafternoonwasasuccess。Theyslappedeachotheronthebackwithgreatblowsoftheopenpalms，andtheydrankeachother’shealthinathirdroundofbeer。
　　TenminutesafterhisrenunciationofTrinaSieppe，MarcusastoundedMcTeaguewithatremendousfeat。
　　“Lookahere，Mac。Iknowsomethunyoucan’tdo。I’llbetyoutwobitsI’llstumpyou。“Theyeachputaquarteronthetable。“Nowwatchme，“criedMarcus。Hecaughtupabilliardballfromtherack，poiseditamomentinfrontofhisface，thenwithasudden，horrifyingdistensionofhisjawscrammeditintohismouth，andshuthislipsoverit。
　　ForaninstantMcTeaguewasstupefied，hiseyesbulging。
　　Thenanenormouslaughshookhim。Heroaredandshouted，swayinginhischair，slappinghisknee。WhatajosherwasthisMarcus！Sure，younevercouldtellwhathewoulddonext。Marcusslippedtheballout，wipeditonthetablecloth，andpassedittoMcTeague。
　　“Nowlet’sseeyoudoit。“
　　McTeaguefellsuddenlygrave。Thematterwasserious。Hepartedhisthickmustachesandopenedhisenormousjawslikeananaconda。Theballdisappearedinsidehismouth。Marcusapplaudedvociferously，shouting，“Goodwork！“McTeaguereachedforthemoneyandputitinhisvestpocket，noddinghisheadwithaknowingair。
　　Thensuddenlyhisfacegrewpurple，hisjawsmovedconvulsively，hepawedathischeekswithbothhands。Thebilliardballhadslippedintohismoutheasilyenough；now，however，hecouldnotgetitoutagain。
　　Itwasterrible。Thedentistrosetohisfeet，stumblingaboutamongthedogs，hisfaceworking，hiseyesstarting。
　　Tryashewould，hecouldnotstretchhisjawswideenoughtosliptheballout。Marcuslosthiswits，swearingatthetopofhisvoice。McTeaguesweatedwithterror；
　　inarticulatesoundscamefromhiscrammedmouth；hewavedhisarmswildly；allthefourdogscaughttheexcitementandbegantobark。Awaiterrushedin，thetwobilliardplayersreturned，alittlecrowdformed。Therewasaveritablescene。
　　AllatoncetheballslippedoutofMcTeague’sjawsaseasilyasithadgonein。Whatarelief！Hedroppedintoachair，wipinghisforehead，gaspingforbreath。
　　OnthestrengthoftheoccasionMarcusSchoulerinvitedtheentiregrouptodrinkwithhim。
　　Bythetimetheaffairwasoverandthegroupdisperseditwasafterfive。MarcusandMcTeaguedecidedtheywouldridehomeonthecars。Buttheysoonfoundthisimpossible。
　　Thedogswouldnotfollow。OnlyAlexander，Marcus’snewsetter，kepthisplaceattherearofthecar。Theotherthreelosttheirsensesimmediately，runningwildlyaboutthestreetswiththeirheadsintheair，orsuddenlystartingoffatafuriousgallopdirectlyawayfromthecar。
　　Marcuswhistledandshoutedandlatheredwithrageinvain。
　　Thetwofriendswereobligedtowalk。WhentheyfinallyreachedPolkStreet，Marcusshutupthethreedogsinthehospital。Alexanderhebroughtbacktotheflatwithhim。
　　Therewasaminutebackyardintherear，whereMarcushadmadeakennelforAlexanderoutofanoldwaterbarrel。
　　BeforehethoughtofhisownsupperMarcusputAlexandertobedandfedhimacoupleofdogbiscuits。McTeaguehadfollowedhimtotheyardtokeephimcompany。Alexandersettledtohissupperatonce，chewingvigorouslyatthebiscuit，hisheadononeside。
　　“Whatyougoingtodoaboutthis——aboutthat——about——aboutmycousinnow，Mac？“inquiredMarcus。
　　McTeagueshookhisheadhelplessly。Itwasdarkbynowandcold。Thelittlebackyardwasgrimyandfullofodors。
　　McTeaguewastiredwiththeirlongwalk。AllhisuneasinessabouthisaffairwithTrinahadreturned。No，surelyshewasnotforhim。Marcusorsomeothermanwouldwinherintheend。Whatcouldsheeverseetodesireinhim——inhim，aclumsygiant，withhandslikewoodenmallets？Shehadtoldhimoncethatshewouldnotmarryhim。Wasthatnotfinal？
　　“Idon’knowwhattodo，Mark，“hesaid。
　　“Well，youmustmakeuptohernow，“answeredMarcus。“Goandcallonher。“
　　McTeaguestarted。Hehadnotthoughtofcallingonher。
　　Theideafrightenedhimalittle。
　　“Ofcourse，“persistedMarcus，“that’sthepropercaper。
　　Whatdidyouexpect？Didyouthinkyouwasnevergoingtoseeheragain？“
　　“Idon’know，Idon’know，“respondedthedentist，lookingstupidlyatthedog。
　　“Youknowwheretheylive，“continuedMarcusSchouler。
　　“OveratBStreetstation，acrossthebay。I’lltakeyouovertherewheneveryouwanttogo。Itellyouwhat，we’llgooverthereWashington’sBirthday。That’sthisnextWednesday；sure，they’llbegladtoseeyou。“ItwasgoodofMarcus。AllatonceMcTeaguerosetoanappreciationofwhathisfriendwasdoingforhim。Hestammered：
　　“Say，Mark——you’re——you’reallright，anyhow。“
　　“Why，pshaw！“saidMarcus。“That’sallright，oldman。I’dliketoseeyoutwofixed，that’sall。We’llgooverWednesday，sure。“
　　Theyturnedbacktothehouse。Alexanderleftoffeatingandwatchedthemgoaway，firstwithoneeye，thenwiththeother。Buthewastooself-respectingtowhimper。However，bythetimethetwofriendshadreachedthesecondlandingonthebackstairsaterriblecommotionwasunderwayinthelittleyard。Theyrushedtoanopenwindowattheendofthehallandlookeddown。
　　Athinboardfenceseparatedtheflat’sbackyardfromthatusedbythebranchpost-office。Inthelatterplacelivedacolliedog。HeandAlexanderhadsmelteachotherout，blowingthroughthecracksofthefenceateachother。
　　Suddenlythequarrelhadexplodedoneithersideofthefence。Thedogsragedateachother，snarlingandbarking，franticwithhate。Theirteethgleamed。Theytoreatthefencewiththeirfrontpaws。Theyfilledthewholenightwiththeirclamor。
　　“Bydamn！“criedMarcus，“theydon’tloveeachother。Justlisten；wouldn’tthatmakeafightifthetwogottogether？
　　Havetotryitsomeday。“
　　CHAPTER5
　　Wednesdaymorning，Washington’sBirthday，McTeagueroseveryearlyandshavedhimself。Besidesthesixmournfulconcertinaairs，thedentistknewonesong。Wheneverheshaved，hesungthissong；neveratanyothertime。Hisvoicewasabellowingroar，enoughtomakethewindowsashesrattle。Justnowhewokeupallthelodgersinhishallwithit。Itwasalamentablewail：
　　“Noonetolove，nonetocaress，Leftallaloneinthisworld’swilderness。“
　　Ashepausedtostrophisrazor，Marcuscameintohisroom，half-dressed，astartlingphantominredflannels。
　　Marcusoftenranbackandforthbetweenhisroomandthedentist’s“Parlors“inallsortsofundress。OldMissBakerhadseenhimthusseveraltimesthroughherhalf-opendoor，asshesatinherroomlisteningandwaiting。Theolddressmakerwasshockedoutofallexpression。Shewasoutraged，offended，pursingherlips，puttingupherhead。
　　Shetalkedofcomplainingtothelandlady。“AndMr。Grannisrightnextdoor，too。Youcanunderstandhowtryingitisforbothofus。“Shewouldcomeoutinthehallafteroneoftheseapparitions，herlittlefalsecurlsshaking，talkingloudandshrilltoanyoneinreachofhervoice。
　　“Well，“Marcuswouldshout，“shutyourdoor，then，ifyoudon’twanttosee。Lookout，now，hereIcomeagain。Notevenaporousplasteronmethistime。“
　　OnthisWednesdaymorningMarcuscalledMcTeagueoutintothehall，totheheadofthestairsthatleddowntothestreetdoor。
　　“ComeandlistentoMaria，Mac，“saidhe。
　　Mariasatonthenexttotheloweststep，herchinproppedbyhertwofists。Thered-headedPolishJew，theragmanZerkow，stoodinthedoorway。Hewastalkingeagerly。