“Leave that to me, Abe. Will you do as I say?”
There followed a brief silence.
“I don’t like dot,” said the Jew finally. “It looks pad for me to mix in sooch business. Hein, hein! No, I cannod assist mit it.”
“Then,” came the voice of Benner, “I don’t want this truck I’ve picked out. Keep the stuff, and I’ll wait till the next peddler blows in.”
“You von’t take vat you puy?” cried Isaacs, with a groan of dismay.
“Not unless you help Jerry.”
“Subbose I say dot I help him, und subbose I don’t? I got your money, und you got der vatch und der odder t’ings. How about dot?”
“Not so fast, Abe,” chimed in Jerry. “Lige is going to give you five hundred dollars in gold to bind the bargain, and you’re to keep the stuff he has bought until after this flare-up with Dunbar. When that’s over, Abe, you come here and give Lige his jewelry, and take the rest of your money.”
“Chentlemen,” wailed the Jew, “I don’t like dis business! But vat can I do? I haf to lif. Yes, yes, I vill do vat you say, but it iss a hardt bargain.”
“Hard bargain!” cried Lige Benner derisively. “Why, you old skinner, you’re soaking everybody in the cattle country, and you don’t let it worry you very much. You haven’t got a hair-trigger conscience, Abe, not by a long shot.”