Part 6 (1/2)
”Sixteen pounds,” Miss Smith replied.
”Twenty-two,” Morris cried--”net.”
”You don't say so!” said Miss Smith.
”We got you to thank for that, Miss Smith,” Morris continued. ”The doctor says without you anything could happen.”
Miss Smith deprecated this compliment to her professional skill with a smiling shake of the head.
”We wouldn't forget it in a hurry,” Morris declared. ”Everything what that boy is to-day, Miss Smith, we owe it to you.”
”You're making it hard for me, Mr. Perlmutter,” Miss Smith replied, ”because I've come to ask you a favour.”
”A favour?” Morris replied. ”You couldn't ask me to do you a favour because it wouldn't be no favour. It would be a pleasure. What could I do for you?”
”I have to leave town to-morrow on a case,” Miss Smith explained, ”and I need a dress in a hurry, something light for evening wear.”
Morris frowned perplexedly.
”That's too bad,” he said, ”because just at present we got nothing but last year's goods in stock--all except--all except this.”
He unfolded the model and shook it out.
”What a pretty dress!” Miss Smith cried, clasping her hands.
”Pretty!” Morris exclaimed. ”How could you say it was pretty?”
”It's perfectly stunning,” Miss Smith continued. ”What size is it, Mr.
Perlmutter?”
”The usual size,” Morris replied; ”thirty-six.”
”Why, that's just my size,” Miss Smith declared. ”Let me see it.” Morris handed her the dress and she examined it carefully. ”What a pity,” she said, ”it has a slight rip in front. Somebody's been handling it carelessly.”
”Sure, I know,” Morris said. ”I tore it myself, Miss Smith; but if you really and truly like it, Miss Smith, which I tell you the truth I don't, and my partner neither, you are welcome to it, and I would give you a little piece from the same goods which you could fix up the rip with.”
”I couldn't think of it,” Miss Smith replied.
”Not at all, Miss Smith. You would do me a favour if you would take it along with you right now.”
Miss Smith fairly beamed as she opened her handbag.
”How much is it?” she asked.
”How much is it?” Morris repeated. ”Why, Miss Smith, you could take that dress only on one condition. The condition is that you wouldn't pay me nothing for it, and that next fall, when we really got something in stock, you would come in and pick out as many of our highest-price garments as you would want.”
Morris's hand shook so with this unusual access of generosity that he could hardly wrap up the garment.
”Also, Miss Smith, I expect you will come up and have dinner with us as soon as you get back from wherever you are going. Already the baby commences to recognize people which he meets, and we want him he should never forget you, Miss Smith.”