would----"

"A good designer!" Barney broke in. "Why----"

His involuntary disclaimer ended almost where it began with a furtive,
though painful, kick from his elder brother.

"A good designer, Abe," Leon went on hastily, "is a big asset, and Louis
Grossman is a first-class A Number One designer. We done a tremendous
spring business through Louis. I suppose you heard about our style
forty-one-fifty?"

Abe nodded.

"Them Arverne Sacques," he said. "Yes, I heard about it from everybody I
meet. He must be a gold-mine, that Louis Grossman."

"He is," Leon continued. "Our other styles, too, he turns out wonderful.
Our Empire models what he designs for us, Abe, I assure you is also
making a tremendous sensation. You ought to see the letter we got this
morning from Horowitz & Finkelbein."

Barney blew his nose with a loud snort.

"I guess I'll go upstairs, and see what the boys is doing in the
cutting-room, Leon," he said, and made a hasty exit.

"Not that Louis Grossman ain't a good cutting-room foreman, too, Abe,"
said Leon, "but we're just getting in some new piece-goods and Barney
wants to check 'em off. But I ain't asked you yet what we can do for
you? A recommendation, maybe? Our credit files is open to you, Abe."

Abe pushed his hat back from his forehead and mopped his brow. Then he
sat down and lit a cigar.

"Leon," he commenced, "what's the use of making a lot of talk about it.
I'm going to talk to you man to man, Leon, and no monkey-business about
it nor nothing. I'm going to be plain and straightforward, Leon, and
tell it to you right from the start what I want. I don't believe in no
beating bushes around, Leon, and when I say a thing I mean it. I got to
talk right out, Leon. That's the kind of man I am."

"All right, Abe," Leon said. "Don't spring it on me too sudden, though."

"Well," Abe continued, "it's this way."

He gave one last puff at his cigar.

"Leon," he said, "how much will you take for Louis Grossman?"

"Take!" Leon shouted. "Take! Why, Abe----"

He stopped suddenly, and, recovering his composure just in the nick of
time, remained silent.

"I know, Leon, he's a valuable man," Abe said earnestly, "but I'm
willing to be fair, Leon. Of course I ain't a hog, and I don't think you
are."

"No, I ain't," Leon replied quite calmly; "I ain't a hog, and so I say I
wouldn't take nothing for him, Abe, because, Abe, if I told you what I
_would_ take for him, Abe, then, maybe, you might ha