Chapter
16
True to her promise, the following day Hortense returned to Mr. Rubenstein, and with all the cunning of her nature placed before him, with many reservations, the nature of the dilemma which confronted her. Could she, by any chance, have the coat for one hundred and fifteen dollars on an easy payment plan? Mr. Rubenstein's head forthwith began to wag a solemn negative. This was not an easy payment store. If he wanted to do business that way he could charge two hundred for the coat and easily get it.
"But I could pay as much as fifty dollars when I took the coat," argued Hortense.
"Very good. But who is to guarantee that I get the other sixty-five, and when?"
"Next week twenty-five, and the week after that twenty five and the next week after that fifteen."
"Of course. But su
