awruss," Abe cried, "you look worried."

"I bet you I'm worried, Abe," he said. "You and your wife's relations
done it. Two thousand dollars thrown away in the street. I got to the
Grand Central Station just in time to get there too late, Abe. This here
Walsh was ahead of me already, and he took Burke away in a hansom. When
I come out of the subway they pretty near run over me, Abe."

"A competitor will do anything, Mawruss," Abe said sympathetically. "But
don't you worry. There's just as big fish swimming in the sea as what
they sell by fish markets, Mawruss. Bigger even. We ain't going to fail
yet a while just because we lose the Small Drygoods Company for a
customer."

"We ain't lost 'em yet, Abe," Morris rejoined, and without taking off
his coat he repaired to Wasserbauer's Restaurant and Cafe for a belated
lunch. As he entered he encountered Frank Walsh, who had been
congratulating himself at the bar.

"Hello, Morris," he cried. "I cut you out, didn't I?"

"You cut me out?" Morris replied stiffly. "I don't know what you mean."

"Of course you don't," Walsh broke in heartily. "I suppose you was
hustling to the Grand Central Station just because you wanted to watch
the engines. Well, I won't crow over you, Morris. Better luck next
time!"

His words fell on unheeding ears, for Morris was busily engaged in
looking around him. He sought features that might possibly belong to
James Burke, but Frank seemed to be the only representative of the
Emerald Isle present, and Morris proceeded to the restaurant in the
rear.

"I suppose he turned him over to Klinger," he said to himself, while
from the vantage of his table he saw Frank Walsh buy cigars and pass out
into the street in company with another drummer _not_ of Irish
extraction.

He finished his lunch without appetite, and when he reentered the store
Abe walked forward to greet him.

"Well, Mawruss," he said, "I seen Sol Klinger coming down the street a
few minutes ago, so I kinder naturally just stood out on the sidewalk
till he comes past, Mawruss. I saw he ain't looking any too pleased, so
I asked him what's the trouble; and he says, nothing, only that Frank
Walsh, what they got it for a drummer, eats 'em up with expenses. So I
says, How so? And he says, this here Walsh has a customer by the name of
Burke come to town, and the first thing you know, he spends it three
dollars for a cab for Burke, and five dollars for lunch for Burke, and
also ten dollars fo