Perlmutter said. "Leave me the name and address, and
I'll see that they send it direct from the store. I'll put one of your
cards inside."

"And another thing," Morris concluded. "See that you don't hold nothing
out on us by way of commission."

Mrs. Perlmutter smiled serenely.

"I won't," she said, in dulcet tones.

* * * * *

It was the fourth day after Potash & Perlmutter's receipt of the wedding
invitation. When Morris Perlmutter entered the private office he found
Abe Potash in the absorbed perusal of the _Daily Cloak and Suit Record_.
Abe looked up and saluted his partner with a malignant grin.

"Well, Mawruss," he said, "I suppose you sent that present to Hyman
Maimin?"

"I sent it off long since already," Morris replied.

"I hope it was a nice one, Mawruss," Abe went on "I hope it was a real
nice one. I'm sorry now, Mawruss, we didn't spend fifty dollars. That
would have made it an even seven hundred, instead of only six hundred
and seventy-five, that Hyman Maimin owed us."

"What d'ye mean?" cried Morris.

"I don't mean nothing, Mawruss--nothing at all," Abe said, with ironical
emphasis. He handed the paper to Morris. "Here, look for yourself!"

He pointed with a trembling forefinger at the "business-troubles"
column, and Morris's eyes seemed to bulge out of his head as he scanned
the printed page:

A petition in bankruptcy was filed late yesterday afternoon against
Hyman Maimin, 83 West Tonawanda Street, Syracuse. It is claimed
that he transferred assets to the amount of eight thousand dollars
last week. Mr. Maimin says that he has been doing business at a
heavy loss of late, but that he hopes to be able to resume. A
settlement of thirty cents is proposed.

Morris sat down in a revolving-chair too crushed for comment, and
drummed with a lead pencil on the desk.

"I wonder if he done up his intended father-in-law, too?" he said at
length.

"No fear of that, Mawruss," Abe replied. "He ain't no sucker like us,
Mawruss. I bet you his father-in-law--what's his name----"

"The Advance Credit Clothing Company," Morris suggested.

"Sure," Abe went on. "I bet you this clothing concern says to him: 'If
you want to marry my daughter, you gotter go into bankruptcy first.
Then, when you're all cleaned up, I'll give you a couple of thousand
dollars to start as a new beginner in another line.' Ain't it?"

Morris nodded gloomily.

"No, Mawru