ta bowed stiffly and Elkan hastened to make conversation by way of
relieving Mr. Kamin's embarrassment.

"Looks like an early spring the way people is going to the country in
such crowds," he said.

"I bet yer," Kamin rejoined emphatically. "I arrived in New York two
weeks ahead of my schedule, because I simply got to do my buying now or
lose a lot of early spring trade."

"Have you been in town long?" Elkan asked.

"Only this morning," Kamin answered; "and I am going down to eat dinner
with my sister, Mrs. Ortelsburg. She lives in Burgess Park."

"Is that so?" Elkan exclaimed. "We ourselves are going to Burgess
Park--to visit a friend."

"A customer," Yetta corrected.

"A customer could also be a friend," Kamin declared, "especially if he's
a good customer."

"This is a very good customer," Elkan went on, "by the name Louis
Stout."

"Louis Stout, from Flugel & Stout?" Kamin cried. "Why, him and Benno
Ortelsburg is like brothers already! Well, then, I'll probably see you
down in Burgess Park this afternoon, on account every Sunday afternoon
Louis plays pinocle at my brother-in-law's house. Why don't he fetch you
round to take a hand?"

"I should be delighted," Elkan said; but Yetta sniffed audibly.

"I guess we would be going home right after dinner, before the crowd
starts back," she said.

"Not on a fine day like this you wouldn't," Kamin protested; "because
once you get out to Burgess Park you ain't in such a hurry to come back.
I wish we would got such a place near Pittsburgh, Mrs. Lubliner. I bet
yer I would quick move out there. The smoke gets worser and worser in
Pittsburgh; in fact, it's so nowadays we couldn't sell a garment in
pastel shades."

"Well, we got plenty blacks, navy blues, Copenhagen blues and brown in
our spring line, Mr. Kamin," Elkan said; and therewith he commenced so
graphically to catalogue Polatkin, Scheikowitz & Company's new stock
that, by the time the train drew into Burgess Park, Kamin was making
figures on the back of an envelope in an effort to convince Elkan that
his prices were all wrong.

"But, anyhow," Kamin said, as they parted in front of the Ortelsburgs'
colonial residence, "I will see you in the store to-morrow morning
sure."

"You'll see me before then, because me and Yetta is coming round this
afternoon sure--ain't we, Yetta?"

Mrs. Lubliner nodded, for her good humour had been restored by Elkan's
splendid exhibition of salesmanship.

"This afternoon is