ngratiation in what M. Garfunkel deemed to be just the right
proportions. Abe glared in response.

"Well, Abe," M. Garfunkel cried, "ain't it a fine weather?"

"Is it?" Abe replied. "I don't worry about the kind of weather it is
when I gets cancelations, Mr. Garfunkel. What for you cancel that order,
Mr. Garfunkel?"

M. Garfunkel raised a protesting palm.

"Now, Abe," he said, "if you was to go into a house what you bought
goods off of and seen a garment you just hear is all the rage on Fifth
Avenue being tried on by a cow----"

"A cow!" Abe said. "I want to tell you something, Mr. Garfunkel. That
lady what you see trying on them Empires was Mawruss' girl what works by
his wife, and while she ain't no Lillian Russell nor nothing like that,
y'understand, if you think you should get out of taking them goods by
calling her a cow you are mistaken."

The qualities of ingratiation and friendliness departed from M.
Garfunkel's smile, leaving it wholly apologetic.

"Well, Abe, as a matter of fact," he said, "I ain't canceled that order
altogether _absolutely_, y'understand. Maybe if you make inducements I
might reconsider it."

"Inducements!" Abe cried. "Inducements is nix. Them gowns costs us
three dollars apiece, and we give 'em to you for three-ten. If we make
any inducements we land in the poorhouse. Ain't it?"

"Oh, the price is all right," M. Garfunkel protested, "but the terms is
too strict. I can't buy _all_ my goods at ten days. Sammet Brothers
gives me a line at sixty and ninety days, and so I do most of my
business with them. Now if I could get the same terms by _you_, Abe, I
should consider your line ahead of Sammet Brothers'."

"Excuse _me_," Abe interrupted. "I think I hear the telephone ringing."

He walked to the rear of the store, where the telephone bell was
jingling.

"Miss Cohen," he said to the bookkeeper as he passed the office, "answer
the 'phone. I'm going upstairs to speak to Mr. Perlmutter."

He proceeded to the cutting-room, where Morris was superintending the
unpacking of piece-goods.

"Mawruss," he said, "M. Garfunkel is downstairs, and he says he will
reconsider the cancelation and give it us a big order if we let him have
better terms. What d'ye say, Mawruss?"

Morris remained silent for a minute.

"Take a chance, Abe," he said at length. "He can't bust up on us by the
first bill. Can he?"

"No," Abe agreed hesitatingly, "but he _might_, Mawruss?"

"Sure he might," said Morr