Part 55 (2/2)

”Sure I seen it and examined everything, and I don't take your word for nothing, Borrochson,” Wolfson declared as they were summoned into the presence of Feldman himself.

There Borrochson executed a bill-of-sale of the stock, fixtures, and safe, in which he swore that he was their sole owner.

”It is distinctively understood,” Borrochson said, as he dipped his pen in the ink to sign the affidavit, ”that I don't guarantee nothing but what I am the owner of the goods. Quality and quant.i.ty he got to judge it for himself.”

Mr. Feldman bowed.

”In the absence of a specific warranty the same doctrine applies in this as in any other case,” he replied sonorously, ”and that is the doctrine of _caveat emptor_.”

”Caviare?” Wolfson murmured in complete mystification. ”What for caviare is that?”

”_Caveat_, not caviare,” Feldman replied. ”_Caveat emptor_ means 'Let the purchaser beware.'”

Wolfson heaved a deep sigh.

”I bet yer it applies in this case,” he commented; ”if ever a purchaser had to beware it is in this case.”

Borrochson grunted and then pocketed Wolfson's certified check for the balance of the purchase price, including the four hundred dollars due for the safe. A minute later he departed, leaving Feldman alone with his client.

”Mr. Feldman,” he said as soon as Borrochson had gone, ”supposing a feller thinks that a safe has got diamonds into it, and supposing I got that safe, but I know there ain't no diamonds into it because I took 'em out already. And supposing that feller doesn't think that I know there was diamonds into the safe because them diamonds was supposed to be in a secret apartment what he only is supposed to know it. Supposing he buys the safe from me, thinking them diamonds is still into it, and pays me six hundred dollars for a safe what is only worth fifty. Would there be any comeback?”

”Decidedly not. And I sincerely hope you haven't been buying any such safe.”

”_Gott soll huten!_” Wolfson exclaimed.

”No, indeed, there will be no recourse to the vendor,” Feldman replied.

”The doctrine of _caveat emptor_ would apply in that case, too.”

Wolfson was effusive in his thanks and hastened to return to his recently acquired jewellery business.

When he left the elevated station on the way to the store Wolfson glanced around him for the haggard features and the attenuated form of Rubin, but without avail. He unlocked the store door and immediately made a thorough examination of the stock and fixtures. Nothing was missing, and, after consulting the figures furnished him by Borrochson, he succeeded in opening the combination lock of the Rubin safe. He took out the top drawer on the left-hand side and scrutinized it carefully.

No one could have detected the secret slide, which was now replaced.

Nevertheless, he found that, unless the drawer was handled with the utmost delicacy, the secret slide invariably jerked out, for the slightest jar released the controlling spring.

”The wonder is to me,” he muttered, ”not that Daiches and me discovered it, but that Borrochson shouldn't have found it out.”

He pondered over the situation for several minutes. If Rubin came in to buy the safe, he argued, the first thing he would do would be to look at the drawer, and in his feverish haste the slide would be bound to open. Once Rubin saw that the diamonds were missing the jig would be up and he, Wolfson, would be stuck with the safe. At length he slapped his thigh.

”I got it,” he said to himself. ”I'll shut the safe and lock it and claim I ain't got the combination. Borrochson must have changed it when he bought it at Rubin's bankruptcy sale, and so Rubin couldn't open it without an expert, anyhow. And I wouldn't bargain with Rubin, neither.

He wants the safe for five hundred dollars; he shall have it.”

After emptying it of all its contents he closed and locked the safe and sat down to await developments. Four o'clock struck from the clock tower on Madison Square and Rubin had not arrived yet, so Wolfson lit a fresh cigar and beguiled his vigil with a paper he had found under the safe.

”I guess I'll lock up and go to my dinner,” he said at eight o'clock.

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