not need anything I may tempt him by quoting prices a little under
what he paid. In either case I am in good shape to make a fight for an
order; thanks to the clerk's loose tongue and lack of sense.

A customer comes in and wants a file. I listen to the conversation,
trying to get hold of any hint that may be useful to me by and by.
Another man wants a box of cartridges. My ears are wide open now.

"Have you the 'U.S.'?"

"U.S.--U.S. What do you mean?" asks the clerk.

"I want the kind with U.S. on the end."

"What good is that?"

"Good to go. I like that kind. Have you got them?"

"I don't know; yes; no, they ain't either! They're U.M.C."

"Don't want 'em!"

Now I was temporarily selling the U.S. cartridge, so I made a note of
what the man said, to be used on Tucker, but I took up the
conversation and convinced the customer that the U.M.C. make of
cartridges was good; he finally bought a box and went off apparently
satisfied.

Just then Tucker came in.