"That's what I said," Flachs answered, and Morris replaced the cut-glass
dish on the shelf.

"Was the name Gladstein?" he inquired, and Flachs nodded.

"Then in that case," Morris said savagely, "let me look at some sterling
silver for about twenty-five dollars. If them suckers could stand it, so
can I."

* * * * *

More than two days had elapsed before Abe had exhausted the topic of
Mrs. Gladstein's ten-dollar engagement present. He discussed it
satirically, profanely and earnestly, from the standpoint of business
ethics, in such maddening reiterations that Morris could not help
wondering how much longer Abe's criticism would have continued had he
known that the cold-meat tray really cost twenty-five dollars.

"You are throwing away good money after bad, Mawruss," Abe said,
renewing the subject after an interval of comparative calm, "because, so
sure as you are standing there, we would never get our two hundred and
fifty out of that feller Gurin."

"What has Mrs. Gladstein's present got to do with Gurin?" Morris asked.
"If I told you once, Abe, in the last two days, I am telling you a dozen
times, understand me, I am giving that there cold-meat tray to Mrs.
Gladstein as a speculation, Abe. What difference does it make who she
marries, Abe, Gurin _oder_ Asimof, so long as we could land from her an
order for five hundred dollars?"