Got another cigar in my pocket." But the invitation was declined.

The "sporting character" might deign to relax amid proper and fitting surroundings, but not in the sacred precincts of his office.

So the captain smoked alone.
"Well," he observed, after a few preliminary puffs, "go on! Don't keep me in suspenders, as the feller said.

Where did the lightnin' strike, and what's the damage ?" Sylvester took a card from his pocket and referred to a penciled memorandum on its back.
"Captain Warren," he began, slowly, "as you know, and as directed by you, my partners here and I have been engaged for months in carefully going over your brother's effects, estimating values, tabulating and sorting his various properties and securities, separating the good from the worthless--and there was, as we saw at a glance, a surprising amount of the latter--" "Um-hm," interrupted the captain, "Cut Short bonds and the like of that.
I know.

Excuse me.