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slowly homeit was late and there would be more business than Hilda and
August could attend to。 As they crossed Third Street Brauner said：
‘‘Hilda must go and tell him to come。 This is her doing。''
‘‘But she can't do that；'' objected Mrs。 Brauner。 ‘‘She'd say it was
throwing herself at his head。''
‘‘Not if I send her？'' Brauner frowned with a seeming of severity。
‘‘Not if I； her father； send herfor two chickens； as we're out？'' Then he
laughed。 His fierceness was the family joke when Hilda was small she
used to say； ‘‘Now； get mad； father； and make little Hilda laugh！''
Hilda was behind the counter； a customer watching with fascinated
eyes the graceful； swift movements of her arms and hands as she tied up a
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bundle。 Her sleeves were rolled to her dimpled elbows； and her arms
were round and strong and white； and her skin was fine and smooth。 Her
shoulders were wide； but not square； her hips were narrow； her wrists； her
hands； her head； small。 She looked healthy and vigorous and useful as
well as beautiful。
When the customers had gone Brauner said： ‘‘Go up to Schwartz
and Heilig； daughter； and ask them for two two…pound chickens。 And tell
Otto Heilig you'll be glad to see him to…morrow。''
‘‘But we don't need the chickens； now。 We'' Hilda's brow
contracted and her chin came out。
‘‘Do as I tell you；'' said her father。
‘‘MY children shall not sink to the disrespect of these days。''
‘‘But I shan't be here to…morrow！ I've made another engagement。''
‘‘You SHALL be here to…morrow！ If you don't wish young Heilig
here for your own sake； you must show consideration for your parents。
Are they to be deprived of their Sunday afternoon？ You have never done
this before； Hilda。 You have never forgotten us before。''
Hilda hung her head； after a moment she unrolled her sleeves； laid
aside her apron and set out。 She was repentant toward her father； but she
felt that Otto was to blame。 She determined to make him suffer for it
how easy it was to make him suffer； and how pleasant to feel that this big
fellow was her slave！ She went straight up to him。 ‘‘So you
complained of me； did you？'' she said scornfully； though she knew well
that he had not； that he could not have done anything that even seemed
mean。
He flushed。 ‘‘Nono；'' he stammered。 ‘‘No； indeed； Hilda。 Don't
think''
She looked contempt。 ‘‘Well； you've won。 Come down Sunday
afternoon。 I suppose I'll have to endure it。''
‘‘Hilda； you're wrong。 I will NOT come！'' He was angry； but his
mind was confused。 He loved her with all the strength of his simple；
straightforward nature。 Therefore he appeared at his worst before her
usually either incoherent or dumb。 It was not surprising that whenever it
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was suggested that only a superior man could get on so well as he did； she
always answered： ‘‘He works twice as hard as any one else； and you
don't need much brains if you'll work hard。''
She now cut him short。 ‘‘If you don't come I'll have to suffer for it；''
she said。 ‘‘You MUST come！ I'll not be glad to see you。 But if you
don't come I'll never speak to you again！'' And she left him and went to
the other counter and ordered the chickens from Schwartz。
Heilig was wretched；another of those hideous dilemmas over which
he had been stumbling like a drunken man in a dark room full of furniture
ever since he let his mother go to Mrs。 Brauner and ask her for Hilda。 He
watched Hilda's splendid back； and fumbled about； upsetting bottles and
rattling dishes； until she went out with a glance of jeering scorn。
Schwartz burst out laughing。
‘‘Anybody could tell you are in love；'' he said。 ‘‘Be stiff with her；
Otto； and you'll get her all right。 It don't do to let a woman see that you
care about her。 The worse you treat the women the better they like it。
When they used to tell my father about some woman being crazy over a
man； he always used to say； ‘What sort of a scoundrel is he？' That was
good sense。''
Otto made no reply。 No doubt these maxims were sound and wise；
but how was he to apply them？ How could he pretend indifference when
at sight of her he could open his jaws only enough to chatter them； could
loosen his tongue only enough to roll it thickly about？ ‘‘I can work；'' he
said to himself； ‘‘and I can pay my debts and have something over； but
when it comes to love I'm no good。''
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CHAPTER II
BRASS OUTSHINES GOLD
Hilda returned to her father's shop and was busy there until nine
o'clock。 Then Sophie Liebers came and they went into the Avenue for a
walk。 They pushed their way through and with the throngs up into
Tompkins Squarethe center of one of the several vast districts； little
known because little written about； that contain the real New York and the
real New Yorkers。 In the Square several thousand young people were
promenading； many of the girls walking in pairs； almost all the young men
paired off； each with a young woman。 It was warm； and the stars beamed
down upon the hearts of young lovers； blotting out for them electric lights
and surrounding crowds。 It caused no comment there for a young
couple to walk hand in hand； looking each at the other with the expression
that makes commonplace eyes wonderful。 And when the sound of a kiss
came from a somewhat secluded bench； the only glances east in the
direction whence it had come were glances of approval or envy。
‘‘There's Otto Heilig dogging us；'' said Hilda to Sophie； as they walked
up and down。 ‘‘Do you wonder I hate him？'' They talked in American；
as did all the young people； except with those of their elders who could
speak only German。
Sophie was silent。 If Hilda had been noting her face she would have
seen a look of satisfaction。
‘‘I can't bear him；'' went on Hilda。 ‘‘No girl could。 He's so stupid
andand common！'' Never before had she used that last word in such a
sense。 Mr。 Feuerstein had begun to educate her。
Sophie's unobserved look changed to resentment。 ‘‘Of course he's
not equal to Mr。 Feuerstein；'' she said。 ‘‘But he's a very nice fellowat
least for an ordinary girl。'' Sophie's father was an upholsterer； and not a
good one。 He owned no tenements was barely able to pay the rent for a
small corner of one。 Thus her sole dower was her pretty face and her
cunning。 She had an industrious； scheming； not overscrupulous brain
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andher hopes and plans。 Nor had she time to waste。 For she was
nearer twenty…three than twenty…two； at the outer edge of the marriageable
age of Avenue A； which believes in an early start at what it regards as the
main business of lifethe family。
‘‘You surely couldn't marry such a man as Otto！'' said Hilda absently。
Her eyes were searching the crowd； near and far。
Sophie laughed。 ‘‘Beggars can't be choosers；'' she answered。 ‘‘I
think he's all rightas men go。 It wouldn't do for me to expect too
much。''
Just then Hilda caught sight of Mr。 Feuersteinthe godlike head； the
glorious hair； the graceful hat。 Her manner changedher eyes brightened；
her cheeks reddened； and she talked fast and laughed a great deal。 As
they passed near him she laughed loudly and called out