Bank, this morning, and he tells it me you got a
permanent mortgage from the I. O. M. A. He says Milton M. Sugarman told
him you got it ahead of Rashkin, because you got influence as a lodge
brother of Sugarman."

"Sure, I did," Morris admitted.

"And then, Mawruss," Abe went on, "Rashkin hears that the I. O. M. A. is
going to make you a permanent loan, so he goes to see Sugarman too."

"That's right," Morris agreed.

"And he says to Sugarman that so long as Sugarman is got to search the
title to your house he wouldn't have to search the title to Rashkin's
house, because both houses stands on the same piece of property. So he
makes a proposition that if Sugarman would charge him only a hundred
dollars he would put in an application by the I. O. M. A. for a
permanent loan. Otherwise he would get it from a life-insurance
company."

Morris nodded ironically.

"And Sugarman says he would do it, I suppose," he broke in. "No, Abe,
Sugarman ain't built that way. It costs me five hundred dollars for that
loan, Abe."

"I know it did, Mawruss," Abe said, "and Feder says that Sugarman told
him he charges you five hundred dollars, and so he don't want to be a
hog, Mawruss, and, therefore, he closes with Rashkin for a hundred and
fifty."

Morris' jaw dropped and he stared at Abe.

"Furthermore, Mawruss," Abe went on, "Rashkin comes in to see Feder the
other day and tells Feder he would be glad to make a quick turn. And he
tells Feder that house stands him in eight thousand dollars cash and he
would be glad to sell it for forty-four five, all cash above the new
first mortgage of thirty-three thousand."

Morris nodded.

"But, Abe," he croaked, "how could he do that? Reckoning all the
mortgages and everything, and what I invested and paid out for building
material over and above the building loan, that house stands me in just
eleven thousand two hundred and fifty dollars cash. If I would come out
even on that house I got to sell it for forty-five seven-fifty, and I
reckoned on forty-seven thousand as a fair price for the house."

"Sure, you did," Abe said cheerfully.

"And how that feller, Rashkin, could claim that his house stands him in
eight thousand dollars cash is more as I could understand, Abe," Morris
said. "Because while I know it I spent for commissions and for Ferdy
Rothschild a couple thousand more as Rashkin, Abe, our building material
cost the same, Abe."

"Sure it did--on the bills, Mawruss," Abe repl