Abe's eyes fairly bulged out of his head as he looked at the blazing diamonds.
"But, Hymie," he exclaimed, "I don't want your diamonds. If I had it the money myself, Hymie, believe me, you are welcome to it like you was my own brother."
"I know all about that, Abe," Hymie replied, "but you ain't Mawruss, and if you got such a regard for me what you claim you have, Abe, go upstairs and ask Mawruss Perlmutter will he do it me the favor and let me have that thousand dollars with the stones as security."
Without further parley Abe turned and left the show-room.
"Mawruss," he called from the foot of the stairs, "come down here once. I want to show you something."
In the meantime Hymie pulled down the shades and turned on the electric lights. Then he took a swatch of black velveteen from his pocket and arranged it over the sample-table with the two gems in its folds.
"Hymie Kotzen is inside the show-room," Abe explained when Morris appeared in answer to his summons.
"Well, what have I got to do with Hymie Kotzen?" Morris demanded.
"Come inside and speak to him, Mawruss," Abe rejoined. "He won't eat you."
"Maybe you think I'm scared to turn him down, Abe?" Morris concluded as he led the way to the show-room. "Well, I'll show you different."