Zerkow was not one who would let gold go out of his house.

He counted out to her the price of all her junk, grudging each piece of money as if it had been the blood of his veins.

The affair was concluded.
But Zerkow still had something to say.

As Maria folded up the pillow-case and rose to go, the old Jew said: "Well, see here a minute, we'll--you'll have a drink before you go, won't you?
Just to show that it's all right between us." Maria sat down again.
"Yes, I guess I'll have a drink," she answered.
Zerkow took down a whiskey bottle and a red glass tumbler with a broken base from a cupboard on the wall.

The two drank together, Zerkow from the bottle, Maria from the broken tumbler.