politic, and what the highbrows call suave. Do you pronounce that with
a long _a_, or two dots over? Anyway, you get me. You're all those
things and considerable few besides. He's wise to the fact that a
business man's got to have poise these days, and balance. And when it
comes to poise and balance, Mrs. McChesney, you make a Fairbanks scale
look like a raft at sea."

"While I don't want to seem to hurry you," drawled Mrs. McChesney,
"might I suggest that you shorten the overture and begin on the first
act?"

"Well, you know how I feel about your business genius."

"Yes, I know," enigmatically.

Ed Meyers grinned. "Can't forget those two little business
misunderstandings we had, can you?"

"Business understandings," corrected Emma McChesney.

"Call 'em anything your little heart dictates, but listen. Fromkin
knows all about you. Knows you've got a million friends in the trade,
that you know skirts from the belt to the hem. I don't know just what
his proposition is, but I'll bet he'll give you half interest in the
livest, come-upest little skirt factory in the country, just for a few
thousands capital, maybe, and your business head at the executive end.
Now just let that sink in before you speak."

"And why," inquired Emma McChesney, "don't you grab this matchless
business opportunity yourself?"