“Stop importing them? What do you mean?”
Peter told him; not omitting to mention that “pending orders” would not be shipped.
“But this is outrageous,” burst out young Elkins. “Positively outrageous. Why, we’ve been handling their goods for years. For years and years. Got customers for them. Customers who won’t take anything else.”
“Yes, I know,” sympathized Peter: and named them.
Elkins changed his note. “You don’t really mean to cut us off, Peter.”
“Of course I do.”
“But we’d buy the goods from you; pay you cash for them.”
“Till you’d persuaded your customers to try something else. Not much. Besides, I want all the profit; not just a percentage.”
“But the pending orders. They’re mostly sold in advance. It will make us look ridiculous. Positively ridiculous. I don’t know what my father will say. . . .”
It was five o’clock by the time that Peter—having reluctantly promised to “think over” the matter of the pending orders—got rid of him; joined Simpson for a cup of tea.