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ENTLEMAN to see you about the Vacuum Cleaner, Mem," announced Catherine in her briefest, most professional manner.

"Ye-s," I said hesitatingly.

I had been unable to see him the last time he called and the time before that, and I must get the thing settled. I looked at the inexorable little clock on my desk ticking away the minutes like mad. It was twenty-five to three now and at three precisely I had a telephone appointment with the difficult-to-be-gotten-at Mrs. L., chairman of our Social Work Committee—very important.

Twenty-five minutes seemed ample time in which to fill out a check and dispose of even a vacuum-cleaner agent, considering that I had already been informed of the special advantages of his particular brand. Still, long experience has made me cautious.

"Catherine," I said impressively, "tell him I'm very much occupied this afternoon, and