"Relations you don't take it to expensive places like the Heatherbloom Inn, Abe," Morris replied. "And, anyhow, this wasn't no relation, Abe; this was a lady. Why should a man blush for a relation, ain't it?" "Did he blush?" Abe asked; but the question remained unanswered, for as Morris was about to reply the store door opened and Marcus Bramson entered. "Ah, Mr. Bramson," Abe cried, "ain't it a beautiful weather?" He seized the newcomer by the hand and shook it up and down. Mr. Bramson received the greeting solemnly. "Abe," he said, "I am a man of my word, ain't it? And so I come here to buy goods; but, all the same, I tell you the truth: I was pretty near going to Lapidus & Elenbogen's." "Lapidus & Elenbogen's!" Abe cried. "Why so?" At this juncture Morris appeared at the show-room door and beamed at Mr. Bramson, who looked straight over his head in cold indifference; whereupon Morris found some business to attend to in the rear of the store. "That's what I said," Mr. Bramson replied, "Lapidus & Elenbogen's; and you would of deserved it." "Mr. Bramson," Abe protested, "did I ever done you something that you should talk that way?" "_Me_ you never done nothing to, Abe," said Mr. Bramson, "but to treat a lady what _is_ a lady, Abe, like a dawg, Abe, I must say it I'm surprised. "_I_ never treated no lady like a dawg, Mr. Bramson," Abe replied. "You must be mistaken." "Well, maybe it wasn't you, Abe," Mr. Bramson went on; "but if it wasn't you it was your partner there, that Mawruss Perlmutter. Yesterday I seen him up to the Heatherbloom Inn, Abe, and I assure you, Abe, I was never before in my life in such a high-price place--coffee and cake, Abe, believe me, one dollar and a quarter." He paused to let the information sink in. "But what could I do?" he asked. "I was walking through the side entrance of the Prince William Hotel yesterday, Abe, just on my way down to see you, when I seen it a lady sitting on a bench, looking like she would like to cry only for shame for the people. Well, Abe, I looked again, Abe, and would you believe it, Abe, it was Miss Atkinson, what used to work for me as saleswoman and got a job by The Golden Rule Store, Elmira, as assistant buyer, and is now buyer by Moe Gerschel, The Emporium, Duluth." Abe nodded; he knew what was coming.