Billy, maybe you could give it, hey?"
I drew back with a laugh. "You don't get me into your quarrels!"
"Vell," said T-S--and suddenly he had an inspiration. "I know. I git
Mary Magna to give it! She's a voman!"
Carpenter turned with sudden wonder. "Then women are permitted to
have hearts?"
"Shoost so, Mr. Carpenter! Ha, ha, ha! Ve business fellers--my Gawd,
if you knew vot business is, you'd vunder we got hearts enough to
keep our blood movin'."
"Business," said Carpenter, still pondering. "Then it's business--"
"Yes, business--" put in T-S. "Dat's it!" And he lowered his voice,
and looked round once more. "It's time we vas talkin' business now!
Mr. Carpenter, I be frank vit you, I put all my cards on de table. I
seen de papers shoost now, vot vunderful tings you do--healin' de
sick and quellin' de mobs and all dat--and I tink I gotta raise my
offer, Mr. Carpenter. If you sign a contract I got here in my
pocket, I pay you a tousand dollars a veek. Vot you say, my friend?"
Carpenter did not say anything, and so the magnate began to
expatiate upon the artistic triumphs he would achieve.
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