could not do justice with a
cut-and-dried sentiment or a well-worn aphorism, and he was about to
expatiate on ingratitude in business when Abe forestalled him.

"Another thing I wanted to say to you, Linkheimer," Abe said; "you
shouldn't wait until the first of the month to send us a statement. Mail
it to-night yet, because we give you notice we close your account right
here and now."

* * * * *

One week later Abe and Morris watched Nathan Schenkmann driving nails
into the top of a packing case with a force and precision of which Jake
had been wholly incapable; for seven days of better housing and better
feeding had done wonders for Nathan.

"Yes, Abe," Morris said as they turned away; "I think we made a find in
that boy, and we also done a charity too. Some people's got an idee,
Abe, that business is always business; but with me I think differencely.
You could never make no big success in business unless you got a little
sympathy for a feller oncet in a while. Ain't it?"

Abe nodded.

"I give you right, Mawruss," he said.

CHAPTER TWO

THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS

There was an intimate connection between Abe Potash's advent in the
lobby of the Prince Clarence Hotel one hot summer day in June and the
publication in that morning's Arrival of Buyers column of the following
statement and news item:

Griesman, M., Dry Goods Company, Syracuse; M. Griesman, ladies' and
misses' cloaks, suits, waists, and furs; Prince Clarence Hotel.

Nevertheless, when Abe caught sight of Mr. Griesman lolling in one of
the hotel's capacious _fauteuils_ he quickly looked the other way and
passed on to the clerk's desk. Then he asked in a loud tone for Mr.
Elkan Reinberg, of Boonton, New Jersey; and, almost before the clerk
told him that no such person was registered, he turned about and
recognized Mr. Griesman with an elaborate start.

"Why, how do you do, Mr. Griesman?" he exclaimed. "Ain't it a pleasure
to see you! What are you doing here in New York?"

Griesman looked hard at his interlocutor before replying.

Some two years earlier there had been an acrimonious correspondence
between them with reference to a shipment of skirts lost in transit--a
correspondence ending in threatened litigation; and Mr. Griesman had
transferred his account with Potash & Perlmutter to Sammet Brothers.
Hence he regarded Abe's proffered hand coldly, and instead of rising to
his feet he continued to pu