"No?" Morris said. "Why ain't I, Abe?"
"Well, Mawruss, I'll tell you," Abe began, with no clear conception of how he would finish. "You know me, Mawruss; I ain't a feller what's got a whole lot to say for myself, but I ain't got such bad judgment, neither, Mawruss."
"I seen fellers with worser judgment as you, Abe," Morris said.
Abe could not forbear a stare of astonishment at this grudging admission.
"At last you got to admit it, Mawruss," he cried; "but anyhow, Mawruss, go ahead and finish up this here permanent-mortgage-loan business, and then, Mawruss, I will do all I can to help you out."
Morris rose to his feet.
"Well, Abe," he began in shaking tones, "I must got to say that I——"
"Lookyhere, Mawruss," Abe broke in savagely, "ain't we fooled away enough time here this morning?
Just because you got your troubles with this here building, Mawruss, ain't no reason why we shouldn't attend to business, Mawruss."
He handed Morris a black cigar, and as they started for the cutting-room they gave vent to their pent-up emotions in great clouds of comforting smoke.