odded. He had been completely mystified about Sam's affairs
since the arrival of a letter from Cyprus addressed to Morris
personally, wherein Sam repaid the money advanced for his hotel
accommodation and announced that he had abandoned for the present his
intention of returning to New York. Morris's mystification was hardly
abated by the following letter, which arrived on the heels of the
conversation above set forth:

SAMUEL GREEN & CO.
DRY-GOODS AND NOTIONS
THE K. & M. SYLPHSHAPE CORSET

CYPRUS, NEW YORK, MAY 1, 1910.

GENTS: We inclose you herewith memorandum of order. Kindly ship same
within ten days by fast freight, and oblige

Yours truly, SAMUEL GREEN & CO.

P. S. You should telegraph Farmers' National Bank for references if
you ain't satisfied to ship without it. Business is good. S. GREEN.

Morris Perlmutter's relations with Sol Klinger retained their
cordiality despite the rupture between Abe Potash and Klinger & Klein.
To be sure, Moe Griesman's defection had rankled, but Morris consoled
himself with the maxim, "Business is business"; and when he met Sol
Klinger in Hammersmith's restaurant during the first week of the spring
buying season he greeted Sol cordially. His friendly advance, however,
met with a decided rebuff.

"What's the matter now, Sol?" Morris asked.

Sol nodded his head slowly.

"It's a great world, Mawruss," he said.

Morris agreed with him. "There's business enough in it for everybody
anyhow, Sol, if that's what you mean," he replied.

"In lots of places, yes, but in others, no," Sol said. "But with some
people, Mawruss, they're like a snake in the grass, which it bites the
hand that feeds it."

"What's Moe Klein been doing now?" Morris asked.

"Moe Klein?" Sol cried. "What d'ye mean, Moe Klein? I ain't talking
about Moe Klein at all. I am talking about Max Kirschner, Mawruss.
There's a feller which we give him for twenty years good wages, Mawruss,
and what do we get for it? After he leaves us, Mawruss--"

"Left you?" Morris interrupted. "Why, I always thought you fired him."

"Sure, we fired him," Sol continued. "A lowlife bum which he makes
always a hog of himself, why shouldn't we fire him? And then, Mawruss,
when we are taking on Moe Greisman's nephew, Rabiner, what does that
sucker Max Kirschner do? He turns around and fixes up with a feller by
the name Sam Green, in Cyprus, to go as partners together in Sam Green's
store