ff at his cigar for a few moments.

"I know your face," he said at length, "but your name ain't familiar."

"Think again, Mr. Griesman," Abe said, quite unmoved by the rebuff.
"Where did you seen me before?"

"I think I seen you in a law office oncet," Griesman said. "To the best
of my recollection the occasion was one which you said you didn't give a
damn about my business at all, and if I wouldn't pay for the skirts you
would make it hot for me. But so far what I hear it, I ain't paid for
the skirts, and I didn't sweat none either."

"Why not let bygones be bygones, Mr. Griesman?" Abe rejoined.

"I ain't got no bygones, Abe," Griesman replied. "The bygones is all on
your side. I ain't got the skirts; so I didn't pay for 'em."

"Well, what is a few skirts that fellers should be enemies about 'em,
Mr. Griesman? The skirts is _vorbei schon_ long since already. Why don't
you anyhow come down to our place oncet in a while and see us, Moe?"

"What would I do in your place, Abe?"

"You still use a couple garments, like we make it, in your business,
Moe," Abe continued. "You got to buy goods in New York oncet in a while.
Ain't it?"

"Well, I do and I don't, Abe," Moe rejoined. "I ain't the back number
which I oncet used to was, Abe. I got fresh idees a little too, Abe.
Nowadays, Abe, a buyer couldn't rely on his own judgment at all. Before
he buys a new season's goods he's got to find out what they're wearing
on the other side first. So with me, Abe, I go first to Paris, Abe. Then
I see there what I want to buy here, Abe, and when I come back to New
York I buy only them goods which has got the idees I seen it in Paris."

"But how do you know we ain't got the idees you would seen it in Paris,
Moe?"

"I don't know, Abe," Moe replied, "because I ain't been to Paris yet so
far. I am now on my way over to Paris, Abe; and furthermore, Abe, if I
would been to Paris, y'understand, what does a feller like Mawruss know
about designing?"

"What d'ye mean, what does a feller like Mawruss know about designing?"
Abe repeated. "Don't you fool yourself, Moe; Mawruss is a first-class,
A number one designer. He gets his idees straight from the best fashion
journals. Then too, Moe, when it comes to up-to-date styles, I ain't
such a big fool neither, y'understand. I know one or two things about
designing myself, Moe, and you could take it from me, Moe, there ain't
no house in the trade, Moe, which they got better facilities for givi