such a feller
from the cutting room even."

"That's all right, Mawruss. You don't have to call such a feller from
the cutting room. He could run a cutting room as well as design
garments; and in fact, Mawruss, when Sammet Brothers pay that feller two
thousand a year, y'understand, they are practically getting him for
nothing."

"Two thousand a year!" Morris exclaimed. "Why, we ourselves would pay
him twenty-five hundred."

"The feller's worth four thousand if he's worth a cent, Mawruss, but the
way business is so rotten nowadays he was willing to take two thousand.
_Aber_ my father-in-law, Mr. Finkman, told me on the 'phone, the roar
this feller puts up when Leon Sammet offers him eighteen hundred, Leon
was pretty near afraid for his life already."

"I don't blame him," Morris commented. "Such highwaymen like Sammet
Brothers they would beat a feller's price down to nothing. We ain't that
way with our help, Harry. If we would got a good man working by us
we----"

"Morris!" cried a voice from the kitchen.

"Yes," Morris replied, jumping to his feet. In less than two minutes he
reappeared and approached Harry with an apologetic smile. "Would you
excuse me a couple minutes, Harry?" he asked. "I got to run over to the
grocer for a box of soap powder. Our girl threw up her job on us."

"I'll go with you," Harry replied. "I need to get a little air."

A minute later they walked down the street to Lenox Avenue, and as they
approached the corner Harry nodded to a short, dark personage who was
proceeding slowly down the street.

"Al-lo!" he cried, seizing Harry by the arm, "adjer do?"

"Fine, thanks," Harry said. "Let me introduce you to a friend of mine by
the name Mr. Perlmutter. This is Mr. Simonetti, Mawruss, which I am
talking to you about."

Morris shook hands limply.

"You don't tell me," he said. "You know me, Mr. Simmons? My partner is
Mr. Potash. I guess you hear B. Senft speak about us."

"Sure," Simonetti said. "Mister Senft ees always say: 'Mister Potash and
Perlmutter ees nice-a people.' Sure."

"Better than Sammet Brothers?" Harry asked.

Simonetti raised his eyebrows and made a flapping gesture with his right
hand.

"A-oh!" he said. "Sammet Brothers, that's all right too. Not too much-a
all right, Mr. Baskof, but is preety good people. I am just-a now go to
see ees-a lawyer for sign-a da contract."

"Ain't you signed the contract yet?" Morris cried.

"Not-a yet," Simonetti answered. "Just-a