"H'm. Stigler's got one over me, then, because he's on the shady side of the road."
"Yes, we reckoned that Stigler had a bit better location than you had. But he evidently does not know it, else he wouldn't have wasted that money opening the five-and-ten-cent store next door to you."
"He's doing a big business," I said ruefully.
"Wait till after Christmas. The Christmas season is a big time for five-and-ten-cent stores such as his. But wait until February, and he'll 'find it's a rocky road to Dublin.'"
I certainly felt good to hear that. Roger grinned.
"Tell you, old man," he said, stretching over and putting his hand on my knee, "I don't like Stigler, and I'd like to go for his scalp, only my company insists that I'm here to sell goods to the people, and not to compete with any one else. But, if the time ever comes that you can get a bit better location than you have, do so. You see, old man, the bulk of your people have to go to the store. You don't get a great amount of people passing it naturally.
"Another reason we chose this location is that we are just between you and Barlow."
"How is that any help?"
"Well, it helps in this way. Some one passing your store suddenly remembers that she wants something—a saucepan, let us say. She has already walked by your store and doesn't bother to turn back. A little later on she comes to my store. I get the benefit of the suggestions which occur to people as they pass your store."
I could hardly believe that. It sounded too much like—oh, quackery; and I told Roger so.