rief-stricken model, who was giving vent to her emotions in the far
corner of the salesroom. "Well, Abe, you tell her to come away from them
light goods and cry over the blue satinets. They don't spot so bad."

Miss Gussie Kreitmann evidently knew how to conceal a secret sorrow,
for outwardly she remained unchanged. She continued to scowl at those of
her employers' customers who were men of family, and beamed upon the
unmarried trade with all the partiality she had displayed during Mannie
Gubin's tenure of employment. Indeed, her amiability toward the
bachelors was if anything intensified, especially in the case of Mendel
Immerglick.

Many times he had settled lunch checks in two figures, for Miss
Kreitmann's appetite was in proportion to her size. Moreover, a
prominent Broadway florist was threatening Mendel with suit for flowers
supplied Miss Kreitmann at his request. Nor were there lacking other
signs, such as the brilliancy of Mendel's cravats and the careful
manicuring of his nails, to indicate that he was paying court to Miss
Kreitmann.

"I think, Abe," Morris said finally, "we're due for an inquiry from the
Flower City Company about Immerglick & Frank."

"I hope not, Mawruss," Abe replied. "I never liked them people, Mawruss.
In fact, last week Mendel Immerglick struck me for new terms--ninety
instead of sixty days--and he wanted to give me a couple of thousand
dollar order. I turned him down cold, Mawruss. People what throw such a
bluff like Mendel Immerglick don't give me no confidence, Mawruss. I'm
willing to sell him up to five hundred at sixty days, but that's all."

"Oh, I don't know, Abe," Morris protested. "A couple of bright boys
like Mendel Immerglick and Louis Frank can work up a nice business after
a while."

"Can they?" Abe rejoined. "Well, more likely they work up a nice line of
credit, Mawruss, and then, little by little, they make it a big failure,
Mawruss. A feller what curls his mustache like Mendel Immerglick ain't
no stranger to auction houses, Mawruss. I bet yer he's got it all
figured out right now where he can get advance checks on consignments."

"I think you do the feller an injury, Abe," said Morris. "I think he
means well, and besides, Abe, business people is getting so conservative
that there ain't no more money in failures."

"I guess there's enough for Mendel Immerglick," Abe said, and dismissed
the subject.

Two weeks later the anticipated letter arrived in the following f