He paused for a moment and looked at Morris.

“Yes,” Morris said, “and what did she say?”

“She says sure it is,” Abe continued, “only, she says she got thrown out of a wagon last fall, and so she’s kind of sour on horses.  She says nowadays she don’t go out except in oitermobiles.”

“Oitermobiles!” Morris exclaimed, and Ralph Tuchman, whose protruding ears, sharp-pointed nose and gold spectacles did not belie his inquisitive disposition, ceased writing to listen more closely to Abe’s story.

“That’s what she said, Mawruss,” Abe replied; “and so I says for my part, I liked it better oitermobiles as horses.”

“Why, Abe,” Morris cried, “you ain’t never rode in an oitermobile in all your life.”

“Sure not, Mawruss, I’m lucky if I get to a funeral oncet in a while.  Ike,” he broke off suddenly, “you better get them statements mailed.”

Ralph Tuchman rose sadly and repaired to the office.

“That’s a smart young feller, Mawruss,” Abe commented, “and while you can’t tell much about a feller from his face, Mawruss, I never seen them long ears on anyone that minded his own business, y’understand?  And besides, I ain’t taking no chances on his Uncle Max Tuchman getting advance information about this here Moe Gerschel’s buyer.”

Morris nodded.  “Maybe you’re right, Abe,” he murmured.

“You was telling me what this Miss Abrahamson said, Abe.”

“Miss Atkinson, Mawruss,” Abe corrected, “not Abrahamson.”

“Well, what did she say?” Morris asked.

“So she asks me if I ever went it oitermobiling,” Abe went on, “and I says sure I did, and right away quick I seen it what she means; and I says how about going this afternoon; and she says she’s agreeable.  So I says, Mawruss, all right, I says, we’ll mix business with pleasure, I says.  I told her we’ll go in an oitermobile to the Bronix already, and when we come back to the store at about, say, five o’clock we’ll look over the line.  Then after that we’ll go to dinner, and after dinner we go to theayter.  How’s that, Mawruss?”

“I heard it worse idees than that, Abe,” Morris replied; “because if you get this here Miss Aaronson down here in the store, naturally, she thinks if she gives us the order she gets better treatment at the dinner and at the theayter afterward.”

“That’s the way I figured it out, Mawruss,” Abe agreed; “and also, I says to myself, Mawruss will enjoy it a good oitermobile ride.”

“Me!” Morris cried.  “What have I got to do with this here oitermobile ride, Abe?”

“What have you got to do with it, Mawruss?” Abe repeated.  “Why, Mawruss, I’m surprised to hear you, you should talk that way.  You got everything to do with it.  I’m a back number, Mawruss; I don’t know nothing about selling goods to lady buyers, ain’t it?  You say it yourself, a feller has got to be up-to-date to sell goods to lady buyers.  So, naturally, you being the up-to-date member of this concern, you got to take Miss Atkinson out in the oitermobile.”