Morris nodded. He had been completely mystified about Sam's affairs since the arrival of a letter from Cyprus addressed to Morris personally, wherein Sam repaid the money advanced for his hotel accommodation and announced that he had abandoned for the present his intention of returning to New York. Morris's mystification was hardly abated by the following letter, which arrived on the heels of the conversation above set forth:
| Samuel Green & Co. dry-goods and notions the k. & m. sylphshape corset |
| Cyprus, New York, May 1, 1910. |
| Yours truly, Samuel Green & Co. P. S. You should telegraph Farmers' National Bank for references if you ain't satisfied to ship without it. Business is good. S. Green. |
| Gents: We inclose you herewith memorandum of order. Kindly ship same within ten days by fast freight, and oblige |
Morris Perlmutter's relations with Sol Klinger retained their cordiality despite the rupture between Abe Potash and Klinger & Klein. To be sure, Moe Griesman's defection had rankled, but Morris consoled himself with the maxim, "Business is business"; and when he met Sol Klinger in Hammersmith's restaurant during the first week of the spring buying season he greeted Sol cordially. His friendly advance, however, met with a decided rebuff.
"What's the matter now, Sol?" Morris asked.
Sol nodded his head slowly.
"It's a great world, Mawruss," he said.
Morris agreed with him. "There's business enough in it for everybody anyhow, Sol, if that's what you mean," he replied.
"In lots of places, yes, but in others, no," Sol said. "But with some people, Mawruss, they're like a snake in the grass, which it bites the hand that feeds it."
"What's Moe Klein been doing now?" Morris asked.
"Moe Klein?" Sol cried. "What d'ye mean, Moe Klein? I ain't talking about Moe Klein at all. I am talking about Max Kirschner, Mawruss. There's a feller which we give him for twenty years good wages, Mawruss, and what do we get for it? After he leaves us, Mawruss—"