CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION vii I AN UNEXPECTED INHERITANCE 1 II READY TO GO AHEAD 6 III MY FIRST DAY 10 IV IN TROUBLE 15 V BETTY MAKES A PROMISE 21 VI UNTYING SOME TANGLES 23 VII GETTING DOWN TO WORK 30 VIII A WEDDING AND A CONVENTION 37 IX A GOOD PLAN BLOCKED 46 X CURBING CREDIT CUSTOMERS 52 XI MORE FINANCIAL WORRIES 59 XII AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR 65 XIII A NEW KIND OF LOTTERY 73 XIV SOME IDEAS IN BUYING 80 XV HOW TO STOP SWEARING 89 XVI A PROPER USE FOR EYES 95 XVII PLANNING TO REDUCE STOCK 100 XVIII THE GREAT SALE 109 XIX A TRIP TO BOSTON 122 XX A SUCCESSFUL MONDAY MEETING 127 XXI A POOR SALESMAN 136 XXII STIGLER PREPARES ANOTHER BLOW 146 XXIII TRADING STAMPS 153 XXIV PREPARING FOR THE BATTLE 167 XXV SELLING ELECTRIC APPLIANCES 176 XXVI FIRE--AND NO INSURANCE 183 XXVII PROFIT-SHARING PLANS 189 XXVIII GETTING NEW BUSINESS 200 XXIX STIGLER RUNS AMUCK 212 XXX NEW TROUBLES 217 XXXI A NEW COMPETITOR 222 XXXII SOME IDEAS ON WINDOW TRIMMING 235 XXXIII A BUSINESS PROPOSITION 246 XXXIV DOMINATING IN SERVICE 254 XXXV A NEW THOUGHT ON RETAIL SELLING 263 XXXVI BETTY COMES HOME 279 XXXVII WOOLTON COMES TO TOWN 285 XXXVIII A LOGICAL PROFIT-SHARING PLAN 298 XXXIX A BOOMERANG IDEA 308 XL RULES FOR GIVING SERVICE 315 XLI ENDORSING A NOTE FOR A FRIEND 321 XLII JOCK MCTAVISH DISTURBS THE PEACE 329 XLIII MARTIN SPRINGS A SURPRISE 337 XLIV A BUDGET OF SURPRISES 349 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "BETTY WAS A REAL COMFORT" (_See page 110_) _Frontispiece_ "I WAS SO RAGING MAD THAT I WAS PREPARED FOR ALMOST ANYTHING" 120 "THE GIRL IN CHARGE WOULD LOOK UP SWEETLY" 179 "I WAS STANDING OUTSIDE THE WINDOW" 236 "SNIPPED THREE SHORT PIECES OF WIRE FROM THE COIL" 277 DAWSON BLACK RETAIL MERCHANT CHAPTER I AN UNEXPECTED INHERITANCE