"Got to do with it? Why, he's a regular missing link!"
"Missing link?" Jackson looked at her in surprise. "Have you seen him?"
"I don't mean that—I mean connecting link."
"Some difference," Jackson grunted.
"If you hadn't gone and broken with McLaughlin & Perkins, Inc."
"That's enough. It's too late now. I don't want to hear anything more about it."
Mrs. Jackson said nothing. She knew that silence at such a time was her most effective weapon. Jackson waited for her to speak, but as she did not speak he immediately felt sorry that he'd been short with her. She was the only person in the world he really cared for. But he must show no outward sign of weakness, so he repeated, "It's too late now, I tell you!"
But, being a resourceful man, Jackson never considered anything too late. He would never take defeat for granted until he should be in his coffin. As a matter of fact, he had often regretted that he had broken with McLaughlin & Perkins, Inc. If it had n't been for that fresh salesman, Briggs, he never would have. And after he had broken with them, his stupid obstinacy had stood in the way of resuming friendly relations, for McLaughlin & Perkins, Inc., had always delivered the goods.