"Appointment with Louis!" Abe said. "Why, what should you have an appointment with Louis for, Leon?"
"Well," Leon stammered, "I—now—got to see him—now—about them Arverne Sacques."
"Oh!" Abe said. "I understand. Well, he went to lunch about twelve o'clock, and he ain't come back yet. Is there anything what we can do for you, Leon?"
But Sammet had hung up the receiver without waiting for further conversation.
At four o'clock the telephone rang again, and once more Abe answered it.
"Hello," he said. "Yes, this is Potash & Perlmutter. Oh! hello, Leon! What can we do for you now?"
"Abe," Leon said, "Louis ain't showed up yet. Has he showed up at your place yet?"
"No, he ain't, Leon," Abe replied. "You seem mighty anxious to see him. Why, what for should I try to prevent him speaking to you? He ain't here, I tell you. All right, Leon; then I'm a liar."
He hung up the receiver with a bang, and an hour later when Morris and he locked up the place, Louis' absence remained a complete mystery to his employers.
On Monday morning Abe and Morris opened the store at seven-thirty, and while Morris examined the