apparently swept clean of stock and fixtures. It is understood that
Lowenstein has fled to Matamoros, Mexico, where his wife preceded him
some two weeks ago. The liabilities are estimated at fifty thousand
dollars, and the only asset is the store building, which is valued at
ten thousand dollars and is subject to mortgages aggregating about the
same amount. The majority of the creditors are in New York City and
Boston."

Morris returned the paper to his partner without comment.

"You see, Mawruss," said Abe, as he lit a fresh cheroot. "Sometimes it
pays to be sick. Ain't it?"

CHAPTER IV

"Never no more, Mawruss," said Abe Potash to his partner as they sat in
the show-room of their spacious cloak and suit establishment one week
after Abe's return from Pittsburgh. "Never no more, Mawruss, because it
ain't good policy. This is strictly a wholesale business, and if once we
sell a friend _one_ garment that friend brings a friend, and that friend
brings also a friend, and the first thing you know, Mawruss, we are
doing a big retail business at a net loss of fifty cents a garment."

"But this ain't a friend, Abe," Morris protested. "It's my wife's
servant-girl. She seen one of them samples, style forty-twenty-two, them
plum-color Empires what I took it home to show M. Garfunkel on my way
down yesterday, and now she's crazy to have one. If she don't get one my
Minnie is afraid she'll leave."

"All right," Abe said, "let her leave. If my Rosie can cook herself and
wash herself, Mawruss, I guess it won't hurt your Minnie. Let her try
doing her own work for a while, Mawruss. I guess it'll do her good."

"But, anyhow, Abe, I told the girl to come down this morning and I'd
give her one for two dollars, and I guess she'll be here most any time
now."

"Well, Mawruss," said Abe, "this once is all right, but never no more.
We ain't doing a cloak and suit business for the servant-girl trade."

Further discussion was prevented by the entrance of the retail customer
herself. Morris jumped quickly to his feet and conducted her to the rear
of the store, while Abe silently sought refuge in the cutting-room
upstairs.

"What size do you think you wear, Lina?" Morris asked.

"Big," Lina replied. "Fat."

"Yes, I know," Morris said, "but what size?"

"Very fat," Lina replied. She was a Lithuanian and her generous figure
had never known the refining influence of a corset until she had landed
at Ellis Island two years befor