nd even
if he should consent to go into it, and if we lost money on the deal,
Rashkin, I wouldn't never hear the end of it."

Rashkin nodded and seized his hat.

"All right," he said, "I will do what you say, Mr. Perlmutter. But with
them three lots it's like this: they're owned by----"

Morris yawned with a noise like a performing sea lion.

"Tell it to Potash to-morrow, Rashkin," he said, and led the way to the
hall door.

Accordingly the next morning Rashkin entered the salesroom of Potash &
Perlmutter, where Abe was scanning the "Arrival of Buyers" column in the
Daily Cloak and Suit Record.

"Good morning, Mr. Potash," B. Rashkin said. "Ain't it a fine weather?"

"Oh, good morning," Abe cried.

"You don't know my face, do you?" Rashkin said.

"I know your face," Abe said, "but your name ain't familiar. I guess I
seen you in Seattle, ain't it?"

B. Rashkin nodded. He had never been farther West than Jersey City
Heights.

"Well, how is things in Seattle, Mister--er----"

"Rashkin," B. Rashkin supplied.

"Rashkin?" Abe went on, and then he paused, but not for an answer.
"Rashkin--why, I don't know no one from that name in Seattle."

"No?" Rashkin replied. "Well, the fact is, Mr. Potash, I ain't come to
see you about Seattle. I come to see you about three lots up in Two
Hundred and Sixty-fourth Street."

The urbane smile faded at once from Abe's face and gave place to a
dark scowl.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, "a real estater. I ain't got no time to fool away
with real estaters."

"This ain't fooling away your time, Mr. Potash," Rashkin said. "Let me
explain the proposition to you."

Without waiting for permission he at once divulged the object of his
visit, while Abe listened with the bored air of an unemployed leading
man at a professional matinee.

"Yes, Mr. Potash," B. Rashkin concluded, after half an hour's
conversation, "I seen it bargains in my time, but these here lots is the
biggest bargains yet."

"Vacant lots ain't never bargains, Rashkin," Abe commented. "What's the
use from vacant lots, anyway? A feller what's got vacant lots is like I
would say I am in the cloak business if I only get it an empty store
with nothing in it."

Abe glanced proudly around him at the well-stocked racks, where the new
season's goods were neatly arranged for prospective buyers.

"But the real-estate business ain't like the cloak business, Mr.
Potash," B. Rashkin said.

"Real estate!" Abe interrupted. "Vacan