“I told it you a dozen times already, Mawruss,” Abe replied, “them ain’t no exactly second-hand fixtures what Rifkin got it.  Them fixtures is like new—­fine mahogany partitions and plated glass.”

“That’s what we bought it, Abe,” Morris said, “fine mahogany partitions with plated glass.  If you wouldn’t jump so much over me, I would of told you about it.”

Abe shrugged despairingly.

“Go ahead,” he said.  “I ain’t jumping over you.”

“Well, in the first place, Abe,” Morris went on, “there’s a couple of swinging doors inside the hall door.”

“Just like Rifkin’s,” Abe interrupted.

“Better as Rifkin’s,” Morris exclaimed.  “Them doors is covered with goods, Abe, and holes in each door with glass into it.”

“Sure, I know,” Abe replied.  “Rifkin’s doors got green cashmere onto ’em like a pool table.”

“Only new, not second-hand,” Morris added.  “Then, when you get through them doors, on the left side is the office with mahogany partitions and plated glass, with a hole into it like a bank already.”

“Sure!  The same what I seen it up at Rifkin’s, Mawruss,” Abe broke in again.

Morris drew himself up and scowled at Abe.

“How many times should I tell it you, Abe,” he cried, “them fixtures what Flachsman sells it us is new, and not like Rifkin’s.”

“Go ahead, Mawruss,” Abe replied.  “Let’s hear it.”

“Over the hole is a sign, Cashier,” Morris continued.

Abe was about to nod again, but at a warning glance from Morris he thought better of it.

“But I told it Flachsman we ain’t got no cashier, only a bookkeeper,” Morris said, “and so he says he could put it Bookkeeper over the hole.  Inside the office is two desks, one for you and me, and a high one for the bookkeeper behind the hole.  On the right-hand side as you go inside them pool-table doors is another mahogany partition, and back of that is the cutting-room already.  Then you walk right straight ahead, and between them two partitions is like a hall-way, what leads to the front of the loft, and there is the show-room with showcases, racks and tables like what I got it a list here.”

“And the whole business will cost it us two thousand dollars, Mawruss,” Abe commented.

“Two thousand two hundred and fifty,” Morris said.

“Well, all I got to say is we would get it the positively same identical thing by H. Rifkin’s place for six hundred dollars,” Abe concluded.

He rose to his feet and took off his hat and coat.

“What did you say this here feller Flachsman was in the district lodge of the I. O. M. A., Mawruss?” he inquired.

“Corresponding secretary,” Morris replied.  “What for you ask, Abe?”

“Oh, nothing,” Abe replied as he turned away.  “Only, I was wondering what he would soak us for them fixtures, Mawruss, if he would of been Grand Master.”

Ten days afterward the receiver in bankruptcy sold Rifkin’s stock and fixtures at auction, and when Abe and Morris took possession of their new business premises on the first of the following month the topic of H. Rifkin’s failure had ceased to be of interest to the cloak and suit trade.  Morris alone harped upon it.