"Who _is_ she?" Abe repeated. "That's a fine question for you to ask
_me_. You take a lady for a fifteen-dollar oitermobile ride, and spend
it as much more for lunch in her, _and you don't even know her name_!"
A cold perspiration broke out on Morris and he fairly staggered into the
show-room. "Lady," he croaked, "do me a favor and tell me what is your
name, please."
The lady laughed. "Well, Mr. Perlmutter," she said, "I'm sure this is
most extraordinary. Of course, there is such a thing as combining
business and pleasure; but, as I told Mr. Tuchman when he insisted on
taking me up to the Heatherbloom Inn, the Board of Trustees control the
placing of the orders. I have only a perfunctory duty to perform when I
examine the finished clothing."
"Board of Trustees!" Morris exclaimed.
"Yes, the Board of Trustees of the Home for Female Orphans of Veterans,
at Oceanhurst, Long Island. I am the superintendent--Miss Taylor--and I
had an appointment at Lapidus & Elenbogen's to inspect a thousand
blue-serge suits. Lapidus & Elenbogen were the successful bidders, you
know. And there was really no reason for Mr. Tuchman's hospitality,
since I had nothing whatever to do with their receiving the contract,
nor could I possibly influence the placing of any future orders."
Morris nodded slowly. "So you ain't Miss Atkinson, then, lady?" he said.
The lady laughed again. "I'm very sorry if I'm the innocent recipient
under false pretenses of a lunch and an automobile ride," she said,
rising.
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