Louis and Abe were ushered into his office only after half an hour's waiting at the end of a line of six clients, and they wasted no time in stating their business. "Mr. Feldman," Abe murmured, "this is Mr. Louis Mintz what comes to work by us as a salesman." "Mr. Mintz," Mr. Feldman said, "you are to be congratulated. Potash & Perlmutter have a reputation in the trade _nulli secundum_, and it is generally admitted that the goods they produce are _summa cum laude_." "We make fall and winter goods, too," Abe explained. "All kinds of garments, Mr. Feldman. I don't want to give Louis no wrong impression. He's got to handle lightweights as well as heavyweights, too." Mr. Feldman stared blankly at Abe and then continued: "No doubt you have quite settled on the terms." "We've talked it all over," said Louis, "and this is what it is." He then specified the salary and commission to be paid, and engaged Mr. Feldman to draw the deed for the tenement house. "And how long is this contract to last?" Feldman asked. "For five years," Abe replied. "Five years nothing," said Louis. "I wouldn't work for no one on a five years' contract. One year is what I want it." "One year!" Abe cried. "Why, Louis, that ain't no way to talk. In one year you'd just about get well enough acquainted with our trade--of course, I'm only _talking_, y'understand--to cop it out for some other house what would pay you a couple of hundred more. No, Louis, I think it ought to be for five years." "Of course, if you think I'm the kind what takes a job to cop out the firm's trade, Abe," Louis commenced, "why----" "I'm only saying for the sake of argument," Abe hastened to explain. "I'll tell you what I'll do, Louis: I'll make it two years, and at the end of that time if you want to quit you can do it; only, you should agree not to work as salesman for no other house for the space of one year afterward or you can go on working for us for one year afterward. How's that?" "I think that's eminently fair," Mr. Feldman broke in hurriedly. "You can't refuse those terms, Mr. Mintz. Mr. Potash will sign for his partner, I apprehend, and then Mr. Perlmutter will be bound under the principle of _qui fecit per alium fecit per se_." No one could stand up against such a flood of Latin, and Louis nodded. "All right," he said. "Let her go that way." Mr. Feldman immediately rang for a stenographer. "Come back to-morrow at four o'clock," he said. "I shall send a clerk with the deed to be signed by Mrs. Potash and Mrs. Perlmutter to-night." The next afternoon, at half an hour after the appointed time, the contract was executed and the deed delivered to Louis Mintz, and on the first of the following month Louis entered upon his new employment. Louis' first season with his new employers was fraught with good results for Potash & Perlmutter, who reaped large profits from Louis' salesmanship; but for Louis it had been somewhat disappointing.