Part 54 (2/2)
”Where did them diamonds come from?” Borrochson demanded, pointing to the three gems on the dusty floor.
”I dropped a drawer, the top one on the left-hand side,” Daiches said, lifting up the drawer and pointing to the secret slide in its rear, ”and this here little tray jumps out.”
Wolfson turned on the little safe dealer with a terrible glare.
”You got to tell everything what you know,” he bellowed.
Borrochson smiled grimly.
”I guess it's a good thing that I come in when I did, otherwise you would of schmeared Daiches a fifty dollar note that he shouldn't tell me nothing about it, and then you would of copped out them diamonds and told me you didn't find it nothing. Ain't it?” he said.
Wolfson blushed.
”If you would say I am a thief, Borrochson,” he thundered, ”I will make for you a couple blue eyes what you wouldn't like already.”
”I ain't saying nothing,” Borrochson replied. ”All I want is you should pay me four hundred dollars balance on the safe and twenty-six hundred and fifty what we agreed on for the store and I am satisfied.”
”And how about my five dollars?” Daiches cried.
”That I will pay it you myself,” Borrochson said.
”Don't do me no favours, Borrochson,” Wolfson exclaimed, ”I will settle with Daiches.”
”But,” Daiches broke in again, ”how about them diamonds, Mr. Wolfson?”
He looked significantly at Wolfson's waistcoat pocket.
”What diamonds?” Borrochson asked.
”He means the diamonds what you just picked up off the floor,” Wolfson hastened to explain. ”He wants his rakeoff, too, I suppose.”
He fastened another hypnotic glare on the shrinking Daiches and, taking the remaining diamonds from Borrochson, he put them with the others in his vest pocket.
”Well,” he concluded, ”that I will settle with him, too. To-morrow is Monday and we will all meet at Feldman's office at two o'clock.
Daiches, you and me will go downtown together and take it a little dinner and some wine, maybe. What?”
He took Daiches' arm in a viselike grasp and started to lead him from the store.
”Hold on there!” Borrochson cried. ”How about them diamonds? You got the diamonds and all I get is two hundred dollars. What security have I got it that you don't skip out with the diamonds and give me the rinky-d.i.n.ks? Ain't it?”
”About the stock and fixtures, you got it a writing from me. Ain't it?”
Wolfson cried. ”And about the safe, Daiches here is a witness. I give you two hundred dollars a while ago, and the balance of four hundred dollars I will pay it you to-morrow at two o'clock when we close.”
He took the keys of the store from Borrochson after the door was locked, and once more he led Daiches to the street.
”Yes, Daiches,” he said, as they neared the elevated station, ”that's the way it is when a feller's tongue runs away with him. You pretty near done yourself out of a fine diamond.”
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