the riverman-第56章

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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　

sixty　cents　a　thousand；〃　said　Newmark。



〃That's　ninety　thousand　dollarsin　five　years；　four　hundred　and　

fifty　thousand；〃　said　Orde；　sucking　his　pencil。



〃We　ought　to　clean　up　five　dollars　a　thousand　on　our　mill。〃



〃That's　about　a　hundred　thousand　on　what　we've　got　left。〃



〃And　that　little　barge　business　nets　us　about　twelve　or　fifteen　

thousand　a　year。〃



〃For　the　five　years　about　sixty　thousand　more。　　Let's　seethat's　a　

total　of　say　six　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　five　years。〃



〃We　will　have　to　take　up　in　that　time；〃　said　Newmark；　who　seemed　to　

have　the　statistics　at　his　finger…tips；　〃the　two　payments　on　our　

timber；　the　note　on　the　First　National；　the　Commercial　note；　the　

remaining　liabilities　on　the　Boom　Companyabout　three　hundred　

thousand　all　told；　counting　the　interest。〃



Orde　crumpled　the　paper　and　threw　it　into　the　waste　basket。



〃Correct；〃　said　he。　　〃Good　enough。　　I　ought　to　get　along　on　a　margin　

like　that。〃



He　went　over　to　his　own　desk；　where　he　again　set　to　figuring　on　his　

pad。　　The　results　he　eyed　a　little　doubtfully。　　Each　year　he　must　

pay　in　interest　the　sum　of　seven　thousand　five　hundred　dollars。　　

Each　year　he　would　have　to　count　on　a　proportionate　saving　of　

fifteen　thousand　dollars　toward　payment　of　the　notes。　　In　addition；　

he　must　live。



〃The　Orde　family　is　going　to　be　mighty　hard　up；〃　said　he；　whistling　

humorously。



But　Orde　was　by　nature　and　training　sanguine　and　fond　of　big　risks。



〃Never　mind；　it's　for　Bobby；〃　said　he　to　himself。　　〃And　maybe　the　

rate　of　interest　will　go　down。　　And　I'll　be　able　to　borrow　on　the　

California　tract　if　anything　does　go　wrong。〃



He　put　on　his　hat；　thrust　a　bundle　of　papers　into　his　pocket；　and　

stepped　across　the　hall　into　Taylor's　office。



The　lawyer　he　found　tipped　back　in　his　revolving　chair；　reading　a　

printed　brief。



〃Frank；〃　began　Orde　immediately；　〃I　came　to　see　you　about　that　

California　timber　matter。〃



Taylor　laid　down　the　brief　and　removed　his　eye…glasses；　with　which　

he　began　immediately　to　tap　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand。



〃Sit　down；　Jack；〃　said　he。　　〃I'm　glad　you　came　in。　　I　was　going　to　

try　to　see　you　some　time　to…day。　　I've　been　thinking　the　matter　over　

very　carefully　since　the　other　day；　and　I've　come　to　the　conclusion　

that　it　is　too　steep　for　me。　　I　don't　doubt　the　investment　a　bit；　

but　the　returns　are　too　far　off。　　Fifteen　thousand　means　a　lot　more　

to　me　than　it　does　to　you；　and　I've　got　to　think　of　the　immediate　

future。　　I　hope　you　weren't　counting　on　me〃



〃Oh；　that's　all　right；〃　broke　in　Orde。　　〃As　I　told　you；　I　can　swing　

the　thing　myself；　and　only　mentioned　it　to　you　on　the　off　chance　you　

might　want　to　invest。　　Now；　what　I　want　is　this〃　he　proceeded　to　

outline　carefully　the　agreement　between　himself　and　Newmark　while　

the　lawyer　took　notes　and　occasionally　interjected　a　question。



〃All　right；〃　said　the　latter；　when　the　details　had　been　mastered。　　

〃I'll　draw　the　necessary　notes　and　papers。〃



〃Now；〃　went　on　Orde；　producing　the　bundle　of　papers　from　his　pocket；　

〃here's　the　abstract　of　title。　　I　wish　you'd　look　it　over。　　It's　a　

long　one；　but　not　complicated；　as　near　as　I　can　make　out。　　Trace　

seems　to　have　acquired　this　tract　mostly　from　the　original　

homesteaders　and　the　like；　who；　of　course；　take　title　direct　from　

the　government。　　But　naturally　there　are　a　heap　of　them；　and　I　want　

you　to　look　it　over　to　be　sure　everything's　shipshape。〃



〃All　right；〃　agreed　Taylor；　reaching　for　the　papers。



〃One　other　thing；〃　concluded　Orde；　uncrossing　his　legs。　　〃I　want　

this　investment　to　get　no　further　than　the　office　door。　　You　see；　

this　is　for　Bobby；　and　I've　given　a　lot　of　thought　to　that　sort　of　

thing；　and　nothing　spoils　a　man　sooner　than　to　imagine　the　thing's　

all　cut　and　dried　for　him；　and　nothing　keeps　him　going　like　the　

thought　that　he's　got　to　rustle　his　own　opportunities。　　You　and　I　

know　that。　　Bobby's　going　to　have　the　best　education　possible；　he's　

going　to　learn　to　be　a　lumberman　by　practical　experience；　and　that　

practical　experience　he'll　get　with　other　people。　　No　working　for　

his　dad　in　Bobby's；　I　can　tell　you。　　When　he　gets　through　college；　

I'll　get　him　a　little　job　clerking　with　some　good　firm；　and　he'll　

have　a　chance　to　show　what　is　in　him　and　to　learn　the　business　from　

the　ground　up；　the　way　a　man　ought　to。　　Of　course；　I'll　make　

arrangements　that　he　has　a　real　chance。　　Then；　when　he's　worked　into　

the　harness　a　little；　the　old　man　will　take　him　out　and　show　him　the　

fine　big　sugar　pine　and　say　to　him；　'There；　my　boy；　there's　your　

opportunity；　and　you've　earned　it。　　How　does　ORDE　AND　SON　sound　to　

you？'　　What　do　you　think　of　it；　Frank？〃



Taylor　nodded　several　times。



〃I　believe　you're　on　the　right　track；　and　I'll　help　you　all　I　can；〃　

said　he　briefly。



〃So；　of　course；　I　want　to　keep　the　thing　dead　secret；〃　continued　

Orde。　　〃You're　the　only　man　who　knows　anything　about　it。　　I'm　not　

even　going　to　buy　directly　under　my　own　name。　　I'm　going　to　

incorporate　myself；〃　he　said；　with　a　grin。　　〃You　know　how　those　

things　will　get　out；　and　how　they　always　get　back　to　the　wrong　

people。〃



〃Count　on　me；〃　Taylor　assured　him。



As　Orde　walked　home　that　evening；　after　a　hot　day；　his　mind　was　full　

of　speculation　as　to　the　immediate　future。　　He　had　a　local　

reputation　for　wealth；　and　no　one　knew　better　than　himself　how　

important　it　is　for　a　man　in　debt　to　keep　up　appearances。　　

Nevertheless；　decided　retrenchtnent　would　be　necessary。　　After　Bobby　

had　gone　to　bed；　he　explained　this　to　his　wife。



〃What's　the　matter？〃　she　asked　quickly。　　〃Is　the　firm　losing　money？〃



〃No；〃　replied　Orde；　〃　it's　a　matter　of　reinvestment。〃　　He　hesitated。　　

〃It's　a　dead　secret；　which　I　don't　want　to　get　out；　but　I'm　thinking　

of　buying　some　western　timber　for　Bobby　when　he　grows　up。〃



Carroll　laughed　softly。



〃You　so　relieve　my　mind；〃　she　smiled　at　him。　　〃I　was　afraid　you'd　

decided　on　the　street…car…driver　idea。　　Why；　sweetheart；　you　know　

perfectly　well　we　could　go　back　to　the　little　house　next　the　church　

and　be　as　happy　as　larks。〃







XXXII





In　the　meantime　Newmark　had　closed　his　desk；　picked　his　hat　from　the　

nail；　and　marched　precisely　down　the　street　to　Heinzman's　office。　　

He　found　the　little　German　in。　　Newmark　demanded　a　private　

interview；　and　without　preliminary　plunged　into　the　business　that　

had　brought　him。　　He　had　long　since　taken　Heinzman's　measure；　as；　

indeed；　he　had　taken　the　measure　of　every　other　man　with　whom　he　did　

or　was　likely　to　do　business。　



〃Heinzman；〃　said　he　abruptly；　〃my　partner　wants　to　raise　seventy…

five　thousand　dollars　for　his　personal　use。　　I　have　agreed　to　get　

him　that　money　from　the　firm。〃



Heinzman　sat　immovable；　his　round　eyes　blinking　behind　his　big　

s