nothing," Borrochson answered guardedly; "just a little business
between him and me about it."

"But, Mr. Borrochson," Wolfson coaxed, "there can't be no harm in
telling me about it."

He handed a cigar to Borrochson, who examined it suspiciously and put
it in his pocket.

"Seed tobacco always makes me a stomachache," he said, "unless I smoke
it after a meal."

"That ain't no seed tobacco," Wolfson protested; "that's a clear Havana
cigar. But anyhow, what's the matter with this here Who's-this and the
safe?"

"Well," Borrochson commenced, "the feller's name is Rubin, and he makes
it a failure in the jewellery business on Rivington Street last June
already. I went and bought the safe at the receiver's sale, and ever
since I got it yet he bothered the life out of me I should sell him
back the safe."

"Well, why don't you do it?"

"Because we can't come to terms," Borrochson replied. "He wants to give
me five hundred for the safe, and I couldn't take it a cent less than
seven-fifty."

"But what did you give for the safe when you bought it originally
already?" Wolfson asked.

"Forty-five dollars."

Wolfson whistled.

"What's the matter with it?" he said finally.

"To tell you the candid and honest truth," Borrochson replied, "I don't
see nothing the matter with the safe. Fifty dollars I paid it to
experts who looked at that safe with telescopes already, like they was
doctors, and they couldn't find nothing the matter with it, neither.
The safe is a safe, they say, and that's all there is to it."

Wolfson nodded gravely.

"But there must be something the matter with the safe. Ain't it?"

"Sure, there must be," Borrochson agreed, "and if Rubin don't want to
buy it back, either I will blow it up the safe or melt it down."

"That would be a foolish thing to do," Wolfson said.

"Well, if the safe is worth five hundred to Rubin," Borrochson
declared, "it's worth seven hundred and fifty to me. That's the way I
figure it."

Wolfson blew great clouds from one of his seed tobacco cigars and
pondered for a minute.

"I tell you what I'll do, Borrochson," he said at last. "Give me a day
to examine the safe and I'll make you an offer right now of five
hundred and fifty for it."

Borrochson laughed raucously.

"What do you think I am?" he said. "A greenhorn?"

Then commenced a hard, long battle in which a truce was declared at six
hundred dollars.

"But mind you," Wolfson said, "I should be alone when I e