Abe took the option from his breast pocket and opened it on his knee, while Mr. Marks glanced at it furtively, not unnoticed by Abe, who aided his companion's inspection by spreading out the paper until its contents were plainly visible.
"Why!" Mr. Marks cried. "Why, that is the house what this here Rothschild said he would sell it me."
Abe looked up sharply.
"You don't say so?" he said. "How could he sell you that house when I got this here option on it this morning for forty-eight thousand dollars?"
"Forty-eight thousand dollars!" Mr. Marks exclaimed. "Why, he says I could buy it for forty-six thousand dollars."
Abe laughed with forced politeness.
"Well, if you could of got it for forty-six thousand you should of took it," he said. "I want forty-nine thousand for it."
It was now Mr. Marks' turn to laugh.
"You couldn't get forty-nine thousand for that house," he said, "if the window-panes was diamonds already."