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he caught sight of two figures coming up the walk。
〃I have an option until November 1；〃 replied Orde。 〃If you can't
make it； I guess I can swing it myself。 By the way； keep this
dark。〃
Taylor nodded； and the two turned to defend themselves as best they
could against Clara's laughing attack。
XXXI
Orde had said nothing to Newmark concerning this purposed new
investment； nor did he intend doing so。
〃It is for Bobby；〃 he told himself； 〃and I want Bobby； and no one
else； to run it。 Joe would want to take charge； naturally。 Taylor
won't。 He knows nothing of the business。〃
He walked downtown next morning busily formulating his scheme。 At
the office he found Newmark already seated at his desk； a pile of
letters in front of him。 Upon Orde's boisterous greeting his nerves
crisped slightly； but of this there was no outward sign beyond a
tightening of his hands on the letter he was reading。 Behind his
eye…glasses his blue； cynical eyes twinkled like frost crystals。 As
always； he was immaculately dressed in neat gray clothes； and
carried in one corner of his mouth an unlighted cigar。
〃Joe；〃 said Orde； spinning a chair to Newmark's roll…top desk and
speaking in a low tone； 〃just how do we stand on that upper
peninsula stumpage？〃
〃What do you mean？ How much of it is there？ You know that as well
as I doabout three hundred million。〃
〃No； I mean financially。〃
〃We've made two payments of seventy…five thousand each； and have
still two to make of the same amount。〃
〃What could we borrow on it？〃
〃We don't want to borrow anything on it；〃 returned Newmark in a
flash。
〃Perhaps not； but if we should？〃
〃We might raise fifty or seventy…five thousand； I suppose。〃
〃Joe；〃 said Orde； 〃I want to raise about seventy…five thousand
dollars on my share in this concern； if it can be done。〃
〃What's up？〃 inquired Newmark keenly。
〃It's a private matter。〃
Newmark said nothing； but for some time thought busily； his light
blue eyes narrowed to a slit。
〃I'll have to figure on it a while；〃 said he at last； and turned
back to his mail。 All day he worked hard； with only a fifteen…
minute intermission for a lunch which was brought up from the hotel
below。 At six o'clock he slammed shut the desk。 He descended the
stairs with Orde； from whom he parted at their foot； and walked
precisely away； his tall； thin figure held rigid and slightly askew；
his pale eyes slitted behind his eye…glasses； the unlighted cigar in
one corner of his straight lips。 To the occasional passerby he
bowed coldly and with formality。 At the corner below he bore to the
left； and after a short walk entered the small one…story house set
well back from the sidewalk among the clumps of oleanders。 Here he
turned into a study； quietly and richly furnished ten years in
advance of the taste then prevalent in Monrovia； where he sank into
a deep…cushioned chair and lit the much…chewed cigar。 For some
moments he lay back with his eyes shut。 Then he opened them to look
with approval on the dark walnut book…cases； the framed prints and
etchings； the bronzed student's lamp on the square table desk； the
rugs on the polished floor。 He picked up a magazine； into which he
dipped for ten minutes。
The door opened noiselessly behind him。
〃Mr。 Newmark； sir；〃 came a respectful voice； 〃it is just short of
seven。〃
〃Very well；〃 replied Newmark； without looking around。
The man withdrew as softly as he had come。 After a moment； Newmark
replaced the magazine on the table； yawned； threw aside the cigar；
of which he had smoked but an inch； and passed from his study into
his bedroom across the hall。 This contained an exquisite Colonial
four…poster； with a lowboy and dresser to match； and was papered and
carpeted in accordance with these； its chief ornaments。 Newmark
bathed in the adjoining bathroom； shaved carefully between the two
wax lights which were his whim； and dressed in what were then known
as 〃swallow…tail〃 clothes。 Probably he was the only man in Monrovia
at that moment so apparelled。 Then calmly； and with all the
deliberation of one under fire of a hundred eyes； he proceeded to
the dining…room； where waited the man who had a short time before
reminded him of the hour。 He was a solemn； dignified man； whose
like was not to be found elsewhere this side the city。 He； too；
wore the 〃swallow…tail；〃 but its buttons were of gilt。
Newmark seated himself in a leather…upholstered mahogany chair
before a small； round； mahogany table。 The room was illuminated
only by four wax candles with red shades。 They threw into relief
the polish of mahogany； the glitter of glass； the shine of silver；
but into darkness the detail of massive sideboard； dull panelling；
and the two or three dark…toned sporting prints on the wall。
〃You may serve dinner； Mallock；〃 said Newmark。
He ate deliberately and with enjoyment the meal； exquisitely
prepared and exquisitely presented to him。 With it he drank a
single glass of Burgundya deed that would； in the eyes of
Monrovia； have condemned him as certainly as driving a horse on
Sunday or playing cards for a stake。 Afterward he returned to the
study； whither Mallock brought coffee。 He lit another cigar； opened
a drawer in his desk； extracted therefrom some bank…books and small
personal account books。 From these he figured all the evening。 His
cigar went out； but he did not notice that； and chewed away quite
contentedly on the dead butt。 When he had finished； his cold eye
exhibited a gleam of satisfaction。 He had resolved on a course of
action。 At ten o'clock he went to bed。
Next morning Mallock closed the door behind him promptly upon the
stroke of eight。 It was strange that not one living soul but
Mallock had ever entered Newmark's abode。 Curiosity had at first
brought a few callers； but these were always met by the
imperturbable servant with so plausible a reason for his master's
absence that the visitors had departed without a suspicion that they
had been deliberately excluded。 And as Newmark made no friends and
excited little interest； the attempts to cultivate him gradually
ceased。
〃Orde；〃 said Newmark； as the former entered the office； 〃I think I
can arrange this matter。〃
Orde drew up a chair。
〃I talked last evening with a man from Detroit named Thayer； who
thinks he may advance seventy…five thousand dollars on a mortgage on
our northern peninsula stumpage。 For that； of course； we will give
the firm's note with interest at ten per cent。 I will turn this
over to you。〃
〃That's〃 began Orde。
〃Hold on；〃 interrupted Newmark。 〃As collateral security you will
deposit for me your stock in the Boom Company； indorsed in blank。
If you do not pay the full amount of the firm's note to Thayer； then
the stock will be turned in to me。〃
〃I see；〃 said Orde。
〃Now； don't misunderstand me；〃 said Newmark drily。 〃This is your
own affair； and I do not urge it on you。 If we raise as much as
seventy…five thousand dollars on that upper peninsula stumpage； it
will be all it can stand； for next year we must make a third payment
on it。 If you take that money； it is of course proper that you pay
the interest on it。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Orde。
〃And if there's any possibility of the foreclosure of the mortgage；
it is only right that you run all the risk of lossnot myself。〃
〃Certainly；〃 repeated Orde。
〃From another point of view；〃 went on Newmark； 〃you are practically
mortgaging your interest in the Boom Company for seventy7five
thousand dollars。 That would make； on the usual basis of a
mortgage； your share worth above two hundred thousandand four
hundred thousand is a high valuation of our property。〃
〃That looks more than decent on your part；〃 said Orde。
〃Of course； it's none of my business what you intend to do with
this；〃 went on Newmark； 〃but unless you're SURE you can meet these
notes； I should strongly advise against it。〃
〃The same remark applies to any mortgage；〃 rejoined Orde。
〃Exactly。〃
〃For how long a time could I get this？〃 asked Orde at length。
〃I couldn't promise it for longer than five years；〃 replied Newmark。
〃That would make about fifteen thousand a year？〃
〃And interest。〃
〃Certainlyand interest。 Well； I don't see why I can't carry that
easily on our present showing and prospects。〃
〃If nothing untoward happens；〃 insisted Newmark determined to put
forward all objections possible。
〃It's not much risk；〃 said Orde hopefully。 〃There's nothing surer
than lumber。 We'll pay the notes easily enough as we cut； and the
Boom Company's on velvet now。 What do our earnings figure； anyway？〃
〃We're driving one hundred and fifty million at a profit of about