Her Reputation by Talbot Mundy

"Papa" Pantopoulos was one hundred percent American. He could prove it. He had papers. He was no impractical theorist, but did in San Francisco as the San Franciscan does -- bought protection regularly at the going rate, and supplied the best brands of bootleg to patrons who knew the ropes. With the aid of dinginess, Levantine waiters, tomato ketchup and spaghetti he had slowly built up a reputation for Bohemian excellence, and now with fresh paint, new tablecloths and a Czecho-Slovakian orchestra of five pieces he was bidding for a more expensive clientele.

Bidding high, too. He had his advertising matter written by a Hebrew who had failed at Hollywood, and he was all ready to rush into print when Ramon informed him on a Sunday afternoon that La Conchita would be his partner instead of Cervanez and they would begin dancing for him the next evening, instead of a week later as expected.