e daylight, only to find himself forestalled by
the wily Flaxberg. Nor was his chagrin at all decreased by Polatkin, who
had promised to meet his partner at quarter-past seven. Instead he
arrived an hour later and immediately proceeded to upbraid Scheikowitz
for Flaxberg's punctuality.

"What do you mean that feller gets here before you?" he cried. "Didn't
you hear it the lawyer distinctively told you you should get here before
Flaxberg, and when Flaxberg arrives you should tell him he is fired on
account he is late? Honestly, Scheikowitz, I don't know what comes over
you lately the way you are acting. Here we are paying the lawyer ten
dollars he should give us an advice, understand me, and we might just so
well throw our money in the streets!"

"But Flaxberg wasn't late, Polatkin," Scheikowitz protested. "He was
early."

"Don't argue with me, Scheikowitz," Polatkin said. "Let's go outside and
talk to him."

Philip shrugged despairingly as they walked to the office door.

"Flaxberg," he began as he discerned the city salesman again using a
sample table for a footstool, "don't let us disturb you if you ain't
through reading the paper yet."

"Yes, Flaxberg," Polatkin added, "you could get down here so early like
you would be sleeping in the place all night yet, and what is it? Take
from the table the feet, Flaxberg, and be a man. We got something to say
to you."

"Go ahead, Mr. Polatkin," Flaxberg said as he leisurely brought his feet
to the floor. "I'm listening."

"In the first place, Flaxberg," Polatkin said, "did it ever occur to you
that, even if your uncle would got fired up to Appenweier & Murray's,
Redman designs for us a line of garments here which them people might be
interested in anyhow?"

"_Yow_, they would be interested in our line!" Flaxberg cried. "Lapin
wouldn't buy only Sammet Brothers' line if we got Worth and Paquin both
working for us as designers. You couldn't convince him otherwise, Mr.
Polatkin."

"That's all right," Polatkin went on; "but it wouldn't do no harm for
you to anyhow see the feller and show him a couple garments which we got
it here. Take for instance them 1080's, which we are selling Fine
Brothers, _oder_ that 2060--that overskirt effect with the gilt net
yoke and peacock-feather-design braid, Flaxberg. Them two styles made a
big hit, Flaxberg. They are all hanging on that end rack there,
Flaxberg, and you could look at 'em for yourself."

Polatkin walked across the sho