Frank Norris

“ McTeague and Trina were puzzled. What could it all mean? Did Marcus want to become reconciled to his enemy? "I know." Trina said to herself. "He's going away, and he wants to borrow some money. He won't get a penny, not a penny." She set her teeth together hard.
"Well," said Marcus, "how's business, Doctor?"
"Oh," said McTeague, uneasily, "oh, I don' know. I guess--I guess," he broke off in helpless embarrassment. They had all sat down by now. Marcus continued, holding his hat and his cane--the black wand of ebony with the gold top presented to him by the "Improvement Club." ”

“ I'll hunt for it, and hunt for it, and hunt for it, and some day I'll find it--I will, you'll see--I'll find it, I'll find it; and if I don't, I'll find a way that'll make you tell me where it is. I'll make you speak--believe me, I will, I will, my girl--trust me for that. ”

“ Begin with, 'There were over a hundred pieces and every one of them gold.'"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Zerkow," answered Maria. "There never was no gold plate, no gold service. I guess you must have dreamed it."
Maria and the red-headed Polish Jew had been married about a month after the McTeague's picnic which had ended in such lamentable fashion. Zerkow had taken Maria home to his wretched hovel in the alley back of the flat, and the flat had been obliged to get another maid of all work. Time passed, a month, six months, a whole year went by. ”

“ Trina and McTeague returned to their rooms.
"I guess I'll go back now," said Maria. "He's all right now. I ain't afraid of him so long as he ain't got his knife."
"Well, say," Marcus called to her as she went down stairs, "if he gets funny again, you just yell out; I'LL hear you. I won't let him hurt you."
Marcus went into his room again and resumed his wrangle with the refractory boots. His eye fell on Zerkow's knife, a long, keen-bladed hunting-knife, with a buckhorn handle. "I'll take you along with me," he exclaimed, suddenly. "I'll just need you where I'm going." ”

“ At last he rose.
"Well, good-by, Doc."
"Good-by, Marcus," returned McTeague. The two shook hands.
"Guess we won't ever see each other again," continued Marcus. "But good luck to you, Doc. Hope some day you'll have the patients standing in line on the stairs."
"Huh! I guess so, I guess so," said the dentist.
"Good-by, Cousin Trina."
"Good-by, Marcus," answered Trina. "You be sure to remember me to mamma, and papa, and everybody. I'm going to make two great big sets of Noah's ark animals for the twins on their next birthday; August is too old for toys. ”

“ She answered her mother, telling her that they were very hard up themselves for that month, but that she would send down the amount in a few weeks.
"I'll tell you what we'll do, Mac," she said to her husband, "you send half and I'll send half; we'll send twenty-five dollars altogether. Twelve and a half apiece. That's an idea. How will that do?"
"Sure, sure," McTeague had answered, giving her the money. Trina sent McTeague's twelve dollars, but never sent the twelve that was to be her share. One day the dentist happened to ask her about it. ”

“ Give it to me, anyhow," he shouted suddenly, and before Zerkow was aware, Marcus had wrenched it away. "Now, get outa here."
Zerkow backed away, peering and peeping over Marcus's shoulder.
"I want Maria."
"Get outa here. Get along out, or I'll PUT you out." The street door closed. The Jew was gone.
"Huh!" snorted Marcus, swelling with arrogance. "Huh! Think I'm afraid of his knife? I ain't afraid of ANYBODY," he shouted pointedly, for McTeague and his wife, roused by the clamor, were peering over the banisters from the landing above. "Not of anybody," repeated Marcus. ”