按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
investigating on my own account。 It all looked foolish to me。
Somebody or something must be back of all this performance。 I was
at it all the time I was West； between times on regular business； of
course。 I didn't make much out of my direct effortsthey cover
things up well in those mattersbut at last I got on a clue by
sheer accident。 There was one man behind all this。 He was〃
〃Joe Newmark；〃 said Orde quietly。
〃How did you know that？〃 cried Taylor in astonishment。
〃I didn't know； Frank； I just guessed。〃
〃Well； you made a good guess。 It was Newmark。 He'd tied up the
land in this trumped…up investigation so you could not borrow on
it。〃
〃How did he find out I owned any land？〃 asked Orde。
〃That I couldn't tell you。 Must have been a leak somewhere。〃
〃Quite likely；〃 said Orde calmly。
Taylor looked at his principal in some wonder。
〃Well； I must say you take it coolly enough；〃 said he at last。
Orde smiled。
〃Do I？〃 said he。
〃Of course；〃 went on Taylor after a moment； 〃we have a strong
presumption of conspiracy to get hold of your Boom Company stock；
which I believe you put up as security。 But I don't see how we have
any incontestable proof of it。〃
〃Proof？ What more do we want？〃
〃We'd have no witness to any of these transactions； nor have we
documentary proofs。 It's merely moral certainty； and moral
certainty isn't much in a court of law。 I'll see him； if you say
so； though； and scare him into some sort of an arrangement。〃
Orde shook his head。
〃No；〃 said he decidedly。 〃Rather not。 I'll run this。 Please say
nothing。〃
〃Of course not！〃 interjected Taylor； a trifle indignantly。
〃And I'll figure out what I want to do。〃
Orde pressed Taylor to stay to supper； but the latter declined。
After a few moments' conversation on general topics the lawyer took
his departure； secretly marvelling over the phlegmatic way in which
Orde had taken what had been to Taylor； when he first stumbled
against it； a shocking piece of news。
XLVII
Orde did not wish to return to the office until he had worked his
problem out； so； to lend his absence the colour of naturalness； he
drove back next morning to the booms。 There he found enough to keep
him occupied all that day and the next。 As in those times the long
distance telephone had not yet been attempted； he was cut off from
casual communication with the village。 Late in the afternoon he
returned home。
A telephone to Carroll apprised him that all was well with her。 A
few moments later the call sounded； and Orde took a message that
caused him to look grave and to whistle gently with surprise。 He
ate supper with Bobby。 About star…time he took his hat and walked
slowly down the street beneath the velvet darkness of the maples。
At Newmark's he turned in between the oleanders。
Mallock answered his ring。
〃No； sir； Mr。 Newmark is out； sir；〃 said Mallock。 〃I'll tell him
you called； sir；〃 and started respectfully but firmly to close the
door。
But Orde thrust his foot and knee in the opening。
〃I'll come in and wait；〃 said he quietly。
〃Yes； sir； this way； sir；〃 said Mallock； trying to indicate the
dining…room； where he wished Orde to sit until he could come at his
master's wishes in the matter。
Orde caught the aroma of tobacco and the glimmer of light to the
left。 Without reply he turned the knob of the door and entered the
library。
There he found Newmark in evening dress； seated in a low easy chair
beneath a lamp； smoking； and reading a magazine。 At Orde's
appearance in the doorway； he looked up calmly； his paper knife
poised； keeping the place。
〃Oh； it's you； Orde；〃 said he。
〃Your man told me you were not in；〃 said Orde。
〃He was mistaken。 Won't you sit down？〃
Orde entered the room and mechanically obeyed Newmark's suggestion；
his manner preoccupied。 For some time he stared with wrinkled brow
at a point above the illumination of the lamp。 Newmark； over the
end of his cigar； poised a foot from his lips； watched the riverman
with a cool calculation。
〃Newmark；〃 Orde began abruptly at last； 〃I know all about this
deal。〃
〃What deal？〃 asked Newmark； after a barely perceptible pause。
〃This arrangement you made with Heinzman。〃
〃I borrowed some money from Heinzman for the firm。〃
〃Yes； and you supplied that money yourself。〃
Newmark's eyes narrowed； but he said nothing。 Orde glanced toward
him； then away again； as though ashamed。
〃Well；〃 said Newmark at last； 〃what of it？〃
〃If you had the money to lend why didn't you lend it direct？〃
〃Because it looks better to mortgage to an outside holder。〃
An expression of profound disgust flitted across Orde's countenance。
Newmark smiled covertly； and puffed once or twice strongly on his
nearly extinct cigar。
〃That was not the reason；〃 went on Orde。 〃You agreed with Heinzman
to divide when you succeeded in foreclosing me out of the timber
lands given as security。 Furthermore you instructed Floyd to go out
on the eve of that blow in spite of his warnings； and you contracted
with McLeod for the new vessels； and you've tied us up right and
left for the sole purpose of pinching us down where we couldn't meet
those notes。 That's the only reason you borrowed the seventy…five
thousand on your own account； so we couldn't borrow it to save
ourselves。〃
〃It strikes me you are interesting but inconclusive；〃 said Newmark；
as Orde paused again。
〃That sort of thing is somewhat of a facer；〃 went on Orde without
the slightest attention to the interjection。 〃It took me some days
to work it out in all its details； but I believe I understand it all
now。 I don't quite understand how you discovered about my
California timber。 That 'investigation' was a very pretty move。〃
〃How the devil did you get onto that？〃 cried Newmark； startled for a
moment out of his cool attitude of cynical aloofness。
〃Then you acknowledge it？〃 shot in Orde quick as a flash。
Newmark laughed in amusement。
〃Why shouldn't I？ Of course Heinzman blabbed。 You couldn't have
got it all anywhere else。〃
Orde arose to his feet； and half sat again on the arm of his chair。
〃Now I'll tell you what we will do in this matter；〃 said he crisply。
But Newmark unexpectedly took the aggressive。
〃We'll follow；〃 said he； 〃the original programme； as laid down by
myself。 I'm tired of dealing with blundering fools。 Heinzman's
mortgage will be foreclosed； and you will hand over as per the
agreement your Boom Company stock。〃
Orde stared at him in amazement。
〃I must say you have good nerve；〃 he said； 〃you don't seem to
realise that you are pretty well tangled up。 I don't know what they
call it： criminal conspiracy； or something of that sort； I suppose。
So far from handing over to you the bulk of my property； I can send
you to the penitentiary。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 rejoined Newmark； leaning forward in his turn。 〃I know
you too well； Jack Orde。 You're a fool of more kinds than I care to
count； and this is one of the kinds。 Do you seriously mean to say
that you dare try to prosecute me？ Just as sure as you do； I'll put
Heinzman in the pen too。 I've got it on him； COLD。 He's a bribe
giverand somewhat of a criminal conspirator himself。〃
〃Well；〃 said Orde。
Newmark leaned back with an amused little chuckle。 〃If the man
hadn't come to you and given the whole show away； you'd have lost
every cent you owned。 He did you the biggest favour in his power。
And for your benefit I'll tell you what you can easily substantiate；
I forced him into this deal with me。 I had this bribery case on
him； and in addition his own affairs were all tied up。〃
〃I knew that；〃 replied Orde。
〃What had the man to gain by telling you？〃 pursued Newmark。
〃Nothing at all。 What had he to lose？ Everything： his property；
his social position； his daughter's esteem； which the old fool holds
higher than any of them。 You could put me in the pen； perhapswith
Heinzman's testimony。 But the minute Heinzman appears on the stand；
I'll land him high and dry and gasping； without a chance to flop。〃
He paused a moment to puff at his cigar。 Finding it had gone out；
he laid the butt carefully on the ash tray at his elbow。
〃I'm not much used to giving advice；〃 he went on； 〃least of all when
it is at all likely to be taken。 But I'll offer you some。 Throw
Heinzman over。 Let him go to the pen。 He's been crooked； and a
fool。〃
〃That's what you'd do； I suppose；〃 said Orde。
〃Exactly that。 You owe nothing to Heinzman； but something to what
you would probably call repentance； but which is in reality a
mawkish sentimentality of weakness。 However； I know you； Jack Orde；
from top to bottom； an