“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.”