In less than ten days the new firm of Potash & Perlmutter were doing
business in Abe Potash's old quarters on White Street with the addition
of the loft on the second floor. Abe had occupied the grade floor of an
old-fashioned building, and agreeable to Morris' suggestion the
manufacturing and cutting departments were transferred to the second
floor, leaving Abe's old quarters for show-room, office and shipping
purposes. It was further arranged that Abe's share of the copartnership
work should be the selling end and that Morris should take charge of the
manufacturing. Both partners supervised the accounting and credit
department with the competent assistance of Miss R. Cohen, who had
served the firm of Vesell & Potash in the same capacity.
For more than a year Morris acted as designer, and with one or two
unfortunate exceptions, the styles he originated had been entirely
satisfactory to Potash & Perlmutter's growing trade.
The one or two unfortunate exceptions, however, had been a source of
some loss to the firm. First, there were the tourists' coats which cost
Potash & Perlmutter one thousand dollars; then came the purple
directoires; total, two thousand dollars charged off to profit and loss
on the firm's books.
"No, Mawruss," Abe said, when his partner spoke of a new model, which he
termed the Long Branch Coatee, "I don't like that name. Anyhow, Mawruss,
I got it in my mind we should hire a designer. While I figure it that
you don't cost us nothing extra, Mawruss, a couple of stickers like them
tourists and that directoire model puts us in the hole two thousand
dollars. On the other hand, Mawruss, if we get a good designer, Mawruss,
all we pay him is two thousand a year and we're through."
"I know, Abe," Morris replied, "but designers can turn out stickers,
too."
"Sure, they can, Mawruss," Abe went on, "but they got a job to look out
for, Mawruss, while you are one of the bosses here, whether you turn out
stickers or not. No, Mawruss, I got enough of stickers already. I'm
going to look out for a good, live designer, a smart young feller like
Louis Grossman, what works for Sammet Brothers. I bet you they done an
increased business of twenty per cent. with that young feller's designs.
I met Ike Gotthelf, buyer for Horowitz & Finkelbein, and he tells me he
gave Sammet Brothers a two-thousand-dollar order a couple of weeks ago,
including a hundred and twenty-two garments of that new-style they got
out, which they call the Arverne Sacque, one of Louis Grossman's new
models."
"Is that so?" said Morris. "Well, you know what I would do if I was you,
Abe? I'd see Louis Grossman and offer him ten dollars a week more than
Sammet Brothers pays him, and the first thing you know he'd be working
for us and not for Sammet Brothers."
"You got a great head, Mawruss," Abe rejoined ironically. "You got the
same idee all of a sudden what I think about a week ago already. I seen
Louis Grossman yesterday, and offered him fifteen, not ten."
"And what did he say?"
"He says he's working by Sammet Brothers under a contract, Mawruss, what
don't expire for a year yet, and they're holding up a quarter of his
wages under the contract, which he is to forfeit if he don't work it
out."
"Don't you believe it, Abe," Morris broke in. "He's standing out for
more money."
"Is he?" said Abe with some heat. "Well, I seen the contract, Mawruss,
so either I'm a liar or not, Mawruss, ain't it?"
Here they were interrupted by the entrance of a customer, Ike Herzog, of
the Bon Ton Credit Outfitting Company.
"Ah, Mr. Herzog!" Abe cried, rising to his feet and extending both hands
in greeting. "Glad to see you. Ain't it a fine weather?"
Mr. Herzog grunted in reply.
"Potash," he said, "when I give you that order last week, I don't know
whether I didn't buy a big lot of your style fifty-nine-ten, ain't it?"
"Yes, you did," said Abe.
"Well," said Herzog, "I want to cancel that part of the order."
"Cancel it!" Abe cried. "Why, what's the matter with them garments?
Ain't the samples made up right?"
"Sure, they're made up right," said Herzog, "only I seen something what
I like better. It's about the same style, only more attractive. I mean
Sammet Brothers' style forty-one-fifty--their new Arverne Sacque."
"Mr. Herzog!" Abe cried.
Herzog raised a protesting palm.
"Now, Potash," he said, "you know whatever I buy in staples you get the
preference; but when anybody's got a specialty like that Arverne Sacque,
what's the use of talking?"
He shook hands cordially.
"I'll be around to see you in about a week," he said, and the next
moment the door closed behind him.
"Well, Mawruss, that settles it," said Abe, putting on his hat. "When we
lose a good customer like Ike Herzog, I gets busy right away."
"Where are you going, Abe?" Morris asked.
Abe struggled into his overcoat and seized his umbrella.
"Round to Sammet Brothers," he replied. "I'm going to get that young
feller away from them if I got to pay 'em a thousand dollars to boot."
Leon Sammet, head of the copartnership of Sammet Brothers, sat in the
firm's sample room and puffed gloomily at a Wheeling stogy. His brother,
Barney Sammet, stood beside him reading aloud from a letter which he
held in his hand.
"'Gents,'" he said, "'your shipment of the fourteenth instant to hand,
and in reply will say we ain't satisfied with nothing but style
forty-one-fifty. Our Miss Kenny is a perfect thirty-six, and she can't
breathe in them Empires style 3022, in sizes 36, 38 or 40. What is the
matter with you, anyway? We are returning them via Eagle Dispatch. We
are yours truly, The Boston Store, Horowitz & Finkelbein, Proprietors.'"
"Yes, Barney," Leon commented, "that's a designer for you, that Louis
Grossman. His Arverne Sacques is all right, Barney, but the rest is nix.
He's a one garment man. Tell Miss Aaronstamm to bring in her book. I
want to send them Boston Store people a letter."
A moment later Miss Aaronstamm entered, and sat down at a sample table.
"Write to the Boston Store," Leon Sammet said. "'Horowitz & Finkelbein,
Proprietors, Gents'--got that? 'We received your favor of the eighteenth
instant, and in reply would say we don't accept no styles what you
return.' Got that? 'If your Miss Kenny can't breathe in them garments
that ain't our fault. They wasn't made to breathe in; they was made to
sell. You say she is a perfect thirty-six. How do we know that? We ain't
never measured her, and we don't believe you have, neither. Anyway, we
ain't taking back no goods what we sold once. Yours truly.' That's all,
Miss Aaronstamm. I guess that'll fix 'em. What, Barney?"
Barney nodded gloomily.
"I tell you, Barney," Leon went on, "I wish I never seen that Louis
Grossman. He certainly got into us good and proper."
"I don't know, Leon," said Barney. "That Arverne Sacque was a record
seller."
"Arverne Sacque!" Leon cried. "That's all everybody says. We can't make
a million dollars out of one garment alone, Barney. We can't even make
expenses. I'm afraid we'll go in the hole over ten thousand dollars if
we don't get rid of him."
"But we can't get rid of him," said Barney. "We got a contract with
him."
"Don't I know it?" said Leon, sadly. "Ain't I paid Henry D. Feldman a
hundred dollars for drawing it up? He's got us, Barney. Louis Grossman's
got us and no mistake. Well, I got to go up to the cutting-room and see
what he's doing now, Barney. He can spoil more piece-goods in an hour
than I can buy in a week."
He rose wearily to his feet and was half-way to the stairs in the rear
of the store when Abe Potash entered.
"Hallo, Leon!" Abe called. "Don't be in a rush. I want to talk to you."
Leon returned to the show-room and shook hands limply with Abe. It was a
competitor's, not a customer's, shake.
"Well, Abe," he said, "how's business?"
"If we got a good designer like you got, Leon," Abe replied, "we
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 have reason for
calling me a hog."
"Oh, no, I wouldn't, Leon," Abe protested. "I told you I know he's a
valuable man, so I want you should name a price."
"_I_ should name a price!" Leon cried. "Why, Abe, I'm surprised at you.
If I go to a man to sell something what I like to get rid of it, and he
don't want, then I name the price. But if a man comes to me to buy
something what I want to keep, and what he's got to have, Abe, then _he_
names the price. Ain't it?"
Abe looked critically at the end of his smoldering cigar.
"Well, Leon," he said at length, "if I must name a price, I suppose I
must. Now I know you will think me crazy, Leon, but I want to get a good
designer bad, Leon, and so I say"--here he paused to note the
effect--"_five hundred dollars_."
Leon held out his hand.
"I guess you got to excuse me, Abe," he said. "I'd like it first rate to
stay here and visit with you all morning but I got work to do, and so I
hope you'll excuse me."
"Seven hundred and fifty," Abe said.
"Fifteen hundred dollars," Leon replied quite firmly.
For twenty minutes Abe's figure rose and Leon's fell until they finally
met at ten hundred thirty-three, thirty-three.
"He's worth it, Abe, believe me," said Leon, as they shook hands on the
bargain. "And now let's fix it up right away."
Half an hour later, Abe, Louis Grossman and Leon Sammet entered the
spacious law offices of Henry D. Feldman, who bears the same advisory
relation to the cloak and suit trade as Judge Gary did to the steel and
iron business.
The drawing of the necessary papers occupied the better part of the day
and it was not until three o'clock in the afternoon that the transaction
was complete. By its terms Sammet Brothers in consideration of $1,033.33
paid by Potash & Perlmutter, released Louis Grossman from his contract,
and Louis entered into a new agreement with Potash & Perlmutter at an
advance of a thousand a year over the compensation paid him by Sammet
Brothers. In addition he was to receive from Potash & Perlmutter five
per cent. of the profits of their business, payable weekly, the
arrangement to be in force for one year, during which time neither
employer nor employee could be rid one of the other save by mutual
consent.
"It comes high, Mawruss," Abe said to his partner, after he had returned
to the store, "but I guess Louis's worth it."
"I hope so," Morris replied. "Now we can make up some of them Arverne
Sacques."
"No, Mawruss," Abe replied, "I'm sorry to say we can't, because, by the
agreement what Henry D. Feldman drew up, Sammet Brothers has the sole
right to make up and sell the Arverne Sacques; but I seen to it,
Mawruss, that we got the right to make up and sell every other garment
what Louis Grossman originated for them this season."
He smiled triumphantly at his partner.
"And," he concluded, "he's coming to work Monday morning."
At the end of three disillusionizing weeks Abe Potash and Morris
Perlmutter sat in the show-room of their place of business. Abe's hat
was tilted over his eyes and he whistled a tuneless air. Morris was
biting his nails.
"Well, Mawruss," Abe said at length, "when we're stuck we're stuck;
ain't it? What's the use of sitting here like a couple of mummies; ain't
it?"
Morris ceased biting his nails.
"Yes, Abe," he said, "ten hundred and thirty-three, thirty-three for a
designer what couldn't design paper-bags for a delicatessen store. I
believe he must have took lessons in designing from a correspondence
school."
"Believe me, Mawruss, he learned it by telephone," Abe replied. "But
cussing him out won't do no good, Mawruss. The thing to do now is to get
busy and turn out some garments what we can sell. Them masquerade
costumes what he gets up you couldn't sell to a five-and-ten-cent
store."
"All right," Morris said. "Let's have another designer and leave Louis
to do the cutting."
"_Another_ designer!" Abe exclaimed. "No, Mawruss, you're a good enough
designer for me. I always said it, Mawruss, you're a first-class A
Number One designer."
Thus encouraged, Morris once more took up the work of the firm's
designing, and he labored with the energy of despair, for the season was
far spent. At length he evolved four models that made Abe's eyes fairly
bulge.
"That's snappy stuff, Mawruss," he said, as he examined the completed
samples one morning. "I bet yer they sell like hot cakes."
Abe's prophecy more than justified itself, and in ten days they were
completely swamped with orders. Abe and Morris went around wearing
smiles that only relaxed when they remembered Louis Grossman and his
hide-bound agreement, under which he drew five per cent. of the firm's
profits and sixty dollars a week.
"Anyhow, Mawruss, we'll get some return from Louis Grossman," Abe said.
"I advertised in the Daily Cloak and Suit Record yesterday them four
styles of yours as the four best sellers of the season, originated by
the creator of the Arverne Sacque. Ike Herzog was in the first thing
this morning and bought two big lots of each one of the models. Ike's a
great admirer of Louis Grossman, Mawruss. I bet yer when Sammet Brothers
saw that ad they went crazy; ain't it?"
"But," Morris protested, "why should Louis Grossman get the credit for
my work?"
"Because, Mawruss, you know them Arverne Sacques is the best sellers put
out in the cloak and suit business this year," Abe replied. "And
besides, Mawruss, we may be suckers, but that ain't no reason why Sammet
Brothers should know it."
"Don't worry, Abe," said Morris; "they know they stuck us good and
plenty when they released Louis Grossman."
"Do they?" Abe rejoined. "Well, they don't know it unless you told 'em.
Louis Grossman won't tell 'em and I didn't tell 'em when I met Leon and
Barney at lunch to-day."
"What did you tell 'em!" Morris asked, somewhat alarmed.
"I told 'em, Mawruss, that the season is comparatively young yet, but we
already made from ten to twenty per cent. more sales by our new
designer. I told Leon them new styles what Louis Grossman got up for us
is selling so big we can't put 'em out fast enough."
"And what did Leon say?" Morris asked.
"He didn't say nothing," Abe replied, "but he looked like his best
customer had busted up on him. Then I showed him the order what we got
from Ike Herzog, and he started in right away to call Barney down for
going home early the day before. I tell you, Mawruss, he was all broke
up."
"I know, Abe," Morris commented, "that's all right, too, but, all the
same, we ain't got much of a laugh on them two boys, so long as Louis
Grossman loafs away upstairs drawing sixty dollars a week and five per
cent. of the profits."
"Well," Abe replied, "what are you going to do about it? Henry D.
Feldman drew up the contract, and you know, Mawruss, contracts what
Henry D. Feldman makes nobody can break."
"Can't they?" Morris cried. "Well, if Henry D. Feldman made it can't
Henry D. Feldman break it? What good is the lawyer, anyhow, what can't
get us out of the contract what he fixed up himself?"
Abe pondered over the situation for five minutes.
"You're right, Mawruss," he said at length; "I'll go and see Henry D.
Feldman the first thing to-morrow morning."
The next morning Leon Sammet sat at his roll-top desk in his private
office, while Barney went over the morning mail.
"Hallo," Barney cried, "here's a check from Horowitz & Finkelbein for
the full amount of their bill, Leon. I guess they thought better of that
return shipment they made of them bum garments that Louis Grossman
designed. They ain't made no deduction on account of it."
"Bum garments, nothing," Leon commented. "Them garments was all right,
Barney. I guess we didn't know how to treat Louis Grossman when he
worked by us. Look at the big success he's making by Potash &
Perlmutter. I bet yer they're five thousand ahead on the season's sales
already. We thought they was suckers when they paid us ten thirty-three,
thirty-three for him, but I guess the shoe pinches on the other foot,
Barney. I wish we had him back, that's all. Them four new designs what
he made for Potash & Perlmutter is tremendous successes. What did he
done for us, Barney? One garment, the Arverne Sacque, and I bet yer them
four styles will put the Arverne Sacque clean out of business."
"Well, Leon," said Barney, "you traded him off so smart, why don't you
get him back? Why don't you see him, Leon?"
"I _did_ see him," said Leon. "I called at his house last night."
"And what did he say?" Barney asked.
"He said he's under contract, as you know, with Potash & Perlmutter, and
that if we can get him out of it he's only too glad to come back to us.
But Henry D. Feldman drew up that contract, Barney, and you know as well
as I do, Barney, that what Henry D. Feldman draws up is drawn up for
keeps, ain't it?"
"There's loopholes in every contract, Leon," said Barney, "and a smart
lawyer like Henry D. Feldman can find 'em out quick enough. Why don't
you go right round and see Henry D. Feldman? Maybe he can fix it so as
to get Louis back here."
Leon shut down his roll-top desk and seized his hat.
"That's a good idea, Barney," he said. "I guess I'll take your advice."
It is not so much to know the law, ran Henry D. Feldman's motto,
paraphrasing a famous dictum of Judge Sharswood, as to look, act and
talk as though you knew it. To this end Mr. Feldman seldom employed a
word of one syllable, if it had a synonym of three or four syllables,
and such phrases as _res gestae_, _scienter_, and _lex fori delicti_ were
the very life of his conversation with clients.
"The information which you now disclose, Mr. Sammet," he said, after
Leon had made known his predicament, "is all _obiter dicta_."
Leon blushed. He imagined this to be somewhat harsh criticism of the
innocent statement that he thought Potash & Perlmutter could be bluffed
into releasing Louis Grossman.
"_Imprimis_," Mr. Feldman went on, "I have not been consulted by Mr.
Grossman about what he desires done in the matter, but, speaking _ex
cathedra_, I am of the opinion that some method might be devised for
rescinding the contract."
"You mean we can get Potash & Perlmutter to release him?"
"Precisely," said Mr. Feldman, "and in a very elementary and efficacious
fashion."
"Well, I ain't prepared to pay so much money at once," said Leon.
Now, when it came to money matters, Henry D. Feldman's language could be
colloquial to the point of slang.
"What's biting you now?" he said. "I ain't going to charge you too much.
Leave it to me, and if I deliver the goods it will cost you two hundred
and fifty dollars."
Leon sighed heavily, but he intended getting Louis back at all costs,
not, however, to exceed ten thirty-three, thirty-three.
"Well, I ain't kicking none if you can manage it," he replied. "Tell us
how to go about it."
Straightway Mr. Feldman unfolded a scheme which, stripped of its
technical phraseology, was simplicity itself. He rightly conjectured
that the most burdensome feature of the contract, so far as Potash &
Perlmutter were concerned, was the five per cent. share of the profits
that fell to Louis Grossman each week. He therefore suggested that Louis
approach Abe Potash and request that, instead of five per cent. of the
profits, he be paid a definite sum each week, for the cloak and suit
business has its dull spells between seasons, when profits occasionally
turn to losses. Thus Louis could advance as a reason that he would feel
safer if he be paid, say, twenty dollars a week the year round in lieu
of his uncertain share of the profits.
"Abe Potash will jump at that," Leon commented.
"I anticipate that he will," Mr. Feldman went on, "and then, after he
has paid Mr. Grossman the first week's installment it will constitute a
rescission of the old contract and a substitution of a new one, which
will be a contract of hiring from week to week. At the conclusion of the
first week their contractual relations can be severed at the option of
either party."
"But I don't want them to do nothing like that," Leon said. "I just want
Louis to quit his job with Potash & Perlmutter and come and work by us."
"Look a-here, Sammet," Feldman broke in impatiently. "I can't waste a
whole morning talking to a boob that don't understand the English
language. You're wise to the part about Louis Grossman asking for twenty
dollars a week steady, instead of his share of the proceeds, ain't you?"
Leon nodded.
"Then if Potash falls for it," Feldman concluded, "as soon as Grossman
gets the first twenty out of him he can throw up his job on the spot.
See?"
Leon nodded again.
"Then clear out of this," said Feldman and pushed a button on his desk
to inform the office-boy that he was ready for the next client.
As Leon passed through the outer office he encountered Ike Herzog of the
Bon Ton Credit Outfitting Company, who was solacing himself with the
Daily Cloak and Suit Record in the interval of his waiting.
"Good morning, Mr. Herzog," Leon exclaimed. "So you got your troubles,
too."
"I ain't got no troubles, Leon," Ike Herzog said, "but I got to use a
lawyer in my business once in awhile. Just now I'm enlarging my place,
and I got contracts to make and new people to hire. I hope _you_ ain't
got no law suits nor nothing."
"Law suits ain't in my line, Mr. Herzog," Leon said. "Once in awhile I
change my working people, too. That's why I come here."
"Sometimes you change 'em for the worse, Leon," Herzog commented,
indicating Abe Potash's effective ad with a stubby forefinger. "You
certainly made a mistake when you got rid of Louis Grossman. He's
turning out some elegant stuff for Potash & Perlmutter."
Leon nodded gloomily.
"Well, we all make mistakes, Mr. Herzog," he said, "and that's why we
got to come here."
"That's so," Herzog agreed, as Leon opened the door. "I hope I ain't
making no mistake in what _I'm_ going to do."
"I hope not," Leon said as he passed out. "Good morning."
Ike Herzog's interview with Henry D. Feldman was short and very much to
his satisfaction, for when he emerged from Feldman's sanctum, to find
Abe Potash waiting without, he could not forbear a broad smile. Abe
nodded perfunctorily and a moment later was closeted with the oracle.
"Mr. Feldman," he said, "I come to ask you an advice, and as I'm pretty
busy this morning, do me the favor and leave out all them _caveat
emptors_."
"Sure thing," Feldman replied. "Tell me all about it."
"Well, then, Mr. Feldman," said Abe, "I want to get rid of Louis
Grossman."
Mr. Feldman almost jumped out of his chair.
"I want to fire Louis Grossman," Abe repeated. "You remember that you
drew me up a burglar-proof contract between him and us a few weeks ago,
and now I want you to be the burglar and bust it up for me."
Feldman touched the button on his desk.
"Bring me the draft of the contract between Potash & Perlmutter and
Louis Grossman that I dictated last month," he said to the boy who
answered.
In a few minutes the boy returned with a large envelope. He was
instructed never to come back empty-handed when asked to bring anything,
and, in this instance the envelope held six sheets of folded legal cap,
some of which contained the score of a pinochle game, played after
office hours on Saturday afternoon between the managing clerk and the
process-server.
Feldman put the envelope in his pocket and retired to a remote corner of
the room. There he examined the contents of the envelope and, knitting
his brows into an impressive frown, he took from the well-stocked
shelves that lined the walls book after book of digests and reports.
Occasionally he made notes on the back of the envelope, and after the
space of half an hour he returned to his chair and prepared to deliver
himself of a weighty opinion.
"In the first place," he said, "this man Grossman ain't incompetent in
his work, is he?"
"Incompetent!" Abe exclaimed. "Oh, no, he ain't incompetent. He's
competent enough to sue us for five thousand dollars after we fire him,
if that's what you mean."
"Then I take it that you don't want to discharge him for incompetence
and risk a law suit," Mr. Feldman went on. "Now, before we go on, how
much does his share of your profits amount to each week?"
"About thirty dollars in the busy season," Abe replied.
"Then here's your scheme," said Feldman. "You go to Grossman and say:
'Look a-here, Grossman, this business of figuring out profits each week
is a troublesome piece of bookkeeping. Suppose we call your share of the
profits forty dollars a week and let it go at that.' D'ye suppose
Grossman would take it?"
"Would a cat eat liver?" said Abe.
"Well, then," Feldman now concluded, "after Grossman accepts the offer,
and you pay him the first installment of forty dollars you're
substituting a new weekly contract in place of the old yearly one, and
you can fire Grossman just as soon as you have a mind to."
"But suppose he sues me, anyhow?" said Abe.
"If he does," Feldman replied. "I won't charge you a cent; otherwise
it'll be two hundred and fifty dollars."
He touched the bell in token of dismissal.
"This fellow, Grossman, is certainly a big money-maker," he said to
himself, after Abe had gone, "_for me_."
The following Saturday Abe sat in the show-room making up the weekly
payroll, and with his own hand he drew a check to the order of Louis
Grossman for forty dollars.
"Mawruss," he said, "do me the favor and go upstairs to Louis Grossman.
You know what to say to him."
"Why should _I_ go, Abe?" Morris said. "You know the whole plan. You saw
Feldman."
"But it don't look well for me," Abe rejoined. "Do me the favor and go
yourself."
Morris shrugged his shoulders and departed, while Abe turned to the
pages of the Daily Cloak and Suit Record to bridge over the anxious
period of Morris' absence. The first item that struck his eye appeared
under the heading, "Alterations and Improvements."
"The Bon Ton Credit Outfitting Company, Isaac Herzog, Proprietor," it
read, "is about to open a manufacturing department, and will, on and
after June 1, do all its own manufacturing and alterations in the
enlarged store premises, Nos. 5940, 5942 and 5946 Second Avenue."
Abe laid down the paper with a sigh.
"There's where we lose another good customer," he said as Morris
returned. A wide grin was spread over Morris' face.
"Well, Mawruss?" Abe asked.
"Yes, Abe," Morris replied. "Ten hundred and thirty-three, thirty-three
you paid for him. And now you must pay him forty dollars a week. _I_
ain't so generous, Abe, believe me. I settled with him for
twenty-seven-fifty."
"Well, Mawruss, it's only for one week," Abe protested.
"I know," said Morris, "but why should _he_ get the benefit of it?"
"Did you have much of a time getting him to take it?" Abe asked.
"It was like this," Morris explained. "I told him what you said about a
lump sum in place of profits and asked him to name his price, and the
first thing he says was twenty-seven-fifty."
"And you let him have it for that?" Abe cried. "You're a business man,
Mawruss, I must say. I bet yer he would have took twenty-five."
He tore up the check for forty dollars and drew a new one for
twenty-seven-fifty.
"Here, Mawruss," he said, "take it up to him like a good feller."
It was precisely noon when Morris delivered the check to Louis Grossman,
and it was one o'clock when Louis went out to lunch.
Three o'clock struck before Abe first noted his absence.
"Ain't that feller come back from his dinner yet, Mawruss?" he asked.
"No," Morris replied. "I wonder what can be keeping him. He generally
takes half an hour for his dinner."
At this juncture the telephone bell rang in the rear of the store and
Abe answered it.
"Hello," he said; "yes, this is Potash & Perlmutter. Oh, hello, Leon,
what can we do for you?"
"I want to speak to Louis Grossman. Can you call him to the 'phone?"
Leon said.
"Louis ain't in," Abe said. "Do you want to leave a message for him?"
"Well," Leon hesitated, "the fact is--we had an appointment with him
for two o'clock over here, and he ain't showed up yet."
"Appointment with Louis!" Abe said. "Why, what should you have an
appointment with Louis for, Leon?"
"Well," Leon stammered, "I--now--got to see him--now--about them Arverne
Sacques."
"Oh!" Abe said. "I understand. Well, he went to lunch about twelve
o'clock, and he ain't come back yet. Is there anything what we can do
for you, Leon?"
But Sammet had hung up the receiver without waiting for further
conversation.
At four o'clock the telephone rang again, and once more Abe answered it.
"Hello," he said. "Yes, this is Potash & Perlmutter. Oh! hello, Leon!
What can we do for you _now_?"
"Abe," Leon said, "Louis ain't showed up yet. Has he showed up at your
place yet?"
"No, he ain't, Leon," Abe replied. "You seem mighty anxious to see him.
Why, what for should I try to prevent him speaking to you? He ain't
here, I tell you. All right, Leon; then I'm a liar."
He hung up the receiver with a bang, and an hour later when Morris and
he locked up the place, Louis' absence remained a complete mystery to
his employers.
On Monday morning Abe and Morris opened the store at seven-thirty, and
while Morris examined the mail, Abe took up the Daily Cloak and Suit
Record and scanned the business-trouble column. There were no failures
of personal or firm interest to Abe, so he passed on to the new-business
column. The first item caused him to gasp, and he almost swallowed the
butt of his cigar. It read:
A partnership has this day been formed between Isaac Herzog and
Louis Grossman, to carry on the business of the Bon Ton Credit
Outfitting Company, under the same firm name. It is understood
that Mr. Grossman will have charge of the designing and
manufacturing end of the concern.
He handed the paper over to Morris and lit a fresh cigar.
"Another sucker for Louis Grossman," he said, "and I bet yer Henry D.
Feldman drew up the copartnership papers."