Every Soul Hath Its Song

by Fannie Hurst

"O God, Renie! I could have paid it back with time; I—"

"'Sh-h-h! How much, Izzy—how much?"

"Somebody must have snitched on me, how I was losing every night. The old skinflint, he—Oh, my God! They got me, Renie—they got me; and it'll kill the old man!"

"How much, Izzy—how much?"

"Oh, my God! I could have paid it back if—if—"

"How much? Tell me, I say!"

"Four—thousand!"

"Oh-h-h, Izzy—Izzy—Izzy!" She sprang back from him, blind with scalding tears. "Izzy! Four thousand! Oh, my God! Four thousand!"

"I could have paid it back, Renie; the system was all right, but—"

"Four thousand! Four thousand!"