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第22章

the riverman-第22章

小说: the riverman 字数: 每页4000字

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a stock company; you vill be selling some of the stock to raise 

money; is it not so?〃



〃Yes;〃 agreed Orde; 〃I expect so。〃



〃How much vill you capitalise for?〃



〃We expect a hundred thousand ought to do the trick;〃 replied Orde。



〃Vell;〃 said Heinzman; 〃ven you put it on the market; come and see 

me。〃  He nodded paternally at Orde; beaming through his thick 

spectacles。



That evening; well after six; Orde returned to the hotel。  After 

freshening up in the marbled and boarded washroom; he hunted up 

Newmark。



〃Well; Joe;〃 said he; 〃I'm as hungry as a bear。  Come on; eat; and 

I'll tell you all about it。〃



They deposited their hats on the racks and pushed open the swinging 

screen doors that led into the dining…room。  There they were taken 

in charge by a marvellously haughty and redundant head…waitress; who 

signalled them to follow down through ranks of small tables watched 

by more stately damsels。  Newmark; reserved and precise; 

irreproachably correct in his neat gray; seemed enveloped in an 

aloofness as impenetrable as that of the head…waitress herself。  

Orde; however; was as breezy as ever。  He hastened his stride to 

overtake the head…waitress。



〃Annie; be good!〃 he said in his jolly way。  〃We've got business to 

talk。  Put us somewhere alone。〃



Newmark nodded approval; and thrust his hand in his pocket。  But 

Annie looked up into Orde's frank; laughing face; and her lips 

curved ever so faintly in the condescension of a smile。



〃Sure; sorr;〃 said she; in a most unexpected brogue。



〃Well; I've got 'em all;〃 said Orde; as soon as the waitress had 

gone with the order。  〃But the best stroke of business you'd never 

guess。  I roped in Heinzman。〃



〃Good!〃 approved Newmark briefly。



〃It was really pretty decent of the little Dutchman。  He agreed to 

let us put up our stock as security。  Of course; that security is 

good only if we win out; and if we win out; why; then he'll get his 

logs; so he won't have ame his brain cleared of its turmoil of 

calculations; of guesses; of estimates; and of men。  He saw clearly 

the limited illumination cast downward by the lamp beneath its wide 

shade; the graceful; white figure against the shadow of the easy 

chair; the oval face cut in half by the lamplight to show plainly 

the red lips with the quaint upward quirks at the corners; and dimly 

the inscrutabny use for security。  So it's just one way 

of beating the devil around the bush。  He evidently wanted to give 

us the business; but he hated like the devil to pass up his rules

you know how those old shellbacks are。〃



〃H'm; yes;〃 said Newmark。



The waitress sailed in through a violently kicked swinging door; 

bearing aloft a tin tray heaped perilously。  She slanted around a 

corner in graceful opposition to the centrifugal; brought the tray 

to port on a sort of landing stage by a pillar; and began 

energetically to distribute small 〃iron…ware〃 dishes; each 

containing a dab of something。  When the clash of arrival had died; 

Orde went on:



〃I got into your department a little; too。〃



〃How's that?〃 asked Newmark; spearing a baked potato。  〃Heinzman 

said he'd buy some of our stock。  He seems to think we have a pretty 

good show。〃



Newmark paused; his potato half…way to his plate。



〃Kind of him;〃 said he after a moment。  〃Did he sign a contract?〃



〃It wasn't made out;〃 Orde reminded him。  〃I've the memoranda here。  

We'll make it out to…night。  I am to bring it in Monday。〃



〃I see we're hung up here over Sunday;〃 observed Newmark。  〃No 

Sunday trains to Redding。〃



Orde became grave。



〃I know it。  I tried to hurry matters to catch the six o'clock; but 

couldn't make it。〃  His round; jolly face fell sombre; as though a 

light within had been extinguished。  After a moment the light 

returned。  〃Can't be helped;〃 said he philosophically。



They ate hungrily; then drifted out into the office again; where 

Orde lit a cigar。



〃Now; let's see your memoranda;〃 said Newmark。



He frowned over the three simple items for some time。



〃It's got me;〃 he confessed at last。



〃What?〃 inquired Orde。



〃What Heinzman is up to。〃



〃What do you mean?〃 asked Orde; turning in his chair with an air of 

slow surprise。



〃It all looks queer to me。  He's got something up his sleeve。  Why 

should he take a bond with that security from us?  If we can't 

deliver the logs; our company fails; that makes the stock worthless; 

that makes the bond worthlessjust when it is needed。  Of course; 

it's as plain as the nose on your face that he thinks the 

proposition a good one and is trying to get control。〃



〃Oh; no!〃 cried Orde; astounded。



〃Orde; you're all right on the river;〃 said Newmark; with a dry 

little laugh; 〃but you're a babe in the woods at this game。〃



〃But Heinzman is honest;〃 cried Orde。  〃Why; he is a church member; 

and has a class in Sunday…school。〃



Newmark selected a cigar from his case; examined it from end to end; 

finally put it between his lips。  The corners of his mouth were 

twitching quietly with amusement。



〃Besides; he is going to buy some stock;〃 added Orde; after a 

moment。



〃Heinzman has not the slightest intention of buying a dollar's worth 

of stock;〃 asserted Newmark。



〃But why〃



〃Did he make that bluff?〃 finished Newmark。  〃Because he wanted to 

find out how much stock would be issued。  You told him it would be a 

hundred thousand dollars; didn't you?〃



〃Whyyes; I believe I did;〃 said Orde; pondering。  Newmark threw 

back his head and laughed noiselessly。



〃So now he knows that if we forfeit the bond he'll have controlling 

interest;〃 he pointed out。



Orde smoked rapidly; his brow troubled。



〃But what I can't make out;〃 reflected Newmark; 〃is why he's so sure 

we'll have to forfeit。〃



I think he's just taking a long shot at it;〃 suggested Orde; who 

seemed finally to have decided against Newmark's opinion。  〃I 

believe you're shying at mare's nests。〃



〃Not he。  He has some good reason for thinking we won't deliver the 

logs。  Why does he insist on putting in a date for delivery?  None 

of the others does。〃



〃I don't know;〃 replied Orde。  〃Just to put some sort of a time 

limit on the thing; I suppose。〃



〃You say you surely can get the drive through by then?〃



Orde laughed。



〃Sure?  Why; it gives me two weeks' leeway over the worst possible 

luck I could have。  You're too almighty suspicious; Joe。〃



Newmark shook his head。



〃You let me figure this out;〃 said he。



But bedtime found him without a solution。  He retired to his room 

under fire of Orde's good…natured raillery。  Orde himself shut his 

door; the smile still on his lips。  As he began removing his coat; 

however; the smile died。  The week had been a busy one。  Hardly had 

he exchanged a dozen words with his parents; for he had even been 

forced to eat his dinner and supper away from home。  This Sunday he 

had promised himself to make his deferred but much…desired call on 

Jane Hubbardand her guest。  He turned out the gas with a shrug of 

resignation。  For the first tile eyes and the hair with the soft shadows。  With

a 

sigh he felt asleep。



Some time in the night he was awakened by a persistent tapping on 

the door。  In the woodsman's manner; he was instantly broad awake。  

He lit the gas and opened the door to admit Newmark; partially 

dressed over his night gown。



〃Orde;〃 said he briefly and without preliminary; 〃didn't you tell me 

the other day that rollways were piled both on the banks and IN the 

river?〃



〃Yes; sometimes;〃 said Orde。  〃Why?



〃Then they might obstruct the river?〃



〃Certainly。〃



〃I thought so!〃 cried Newmark; with as near an approach to 

exultation as he ever permitted himself。  〃Now; just one other 

thing: aren't Heinzman's rollways below most of the others?〃



〃Yes; I beli

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