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第77章

the riverman-第77章

小说: the riverman 字数: 每页4000字

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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; and I know you're fool enough not to do it。  I'm 

so sure of it that I dare put it to you straight; you could never 

bring yourself to the point of destroying a man who had sacrificed 

himself for you。〃



〃You seem to have this game all figured out;〃 said Orde with 

contempt。



Newmark leaned back in his chair。  Two bright red spots burned in 

his ordinarily sallow cheeks。  He half closed his eyes。



〃You're right;〃 said he with an ill…concealed satisfaction。  〃If you 

play a game; play it through。  Each man is different; for each a 

different treatment is required。  The game is infinite; wonderful; 

fascinating to the skilful。〃  He opened his eyes and looked over at 

Orde with a mild curiosity。  〃I suppose men are about all of one 

kind to you。〃



〃Two;〃 said Orde grimly; 〃the honest men and the scoundrels。〃



〃Well;〃 said the other; 〃let's settle this thing。  The fact remains 

that the firm owes a note to Heinzman; which it cannot pay。  You owe 

a note to the firm which you cannot pay。  All this may be slightly 

irregular; but for private reasons you do not care to make public 

the irregularity。  Am I right so far?〃



Orde; who had been watching him with a slightly sardonic smile; 

nodded。



〃Well; what I want out of this〃



〃You might hear the other side;〃 interrupted Orde。  〃In the first 

place;〃 said he; producing a bundle of papers; 〃I have the note and 

the mortgage in my possession。〃



〃Whence Heinzman will shortly rescue them; as soon as I get to see 

him;〃 countered Newmark。  〃You acknowledge that I can force 

Heinzman; and you can hardly refuse him。〃



〃If you force Heinzman; he'll land you;〃 Orde pointed out。



〃There is Canada for me; with no extradition。  He travels with 

heavier baggage。  I have the better trumps。〃



〃You'd lose everything。〃



〃Not quite;〃 smiled Newmark。  〃And; as usual; you are forgetting the 

personal equation。  Heinzman isHeinzman。  And I am I。〃



〃Then I suppose this affidavit from Heinzman as to the details of 

all this is useless for the same reason?〃



Newmark's thin lips parted in another smile。



〃Correct;〃 said he。



〃But you're ready to compromise below the face of the note?〃



〃I am。〃



〃Why?〃



Newmark hesitated。



〃I'll tell you;〃 said he; 〃because I know you well enough to realise 

that there is a point where your loyalty to Heinzman would step 

aside in favour of your loyalty to your family。〃



〃And you think you know where that point is?〃



〃It's the basis of my compromise。〃



Orde began softly to laugh。  〃Newmark; you're as clever as the 

devil;〃 said he。  〃But aren't you afraid to lay out your cards this 

way?〃



〃Not with you;〃 replied Newmark; boldly; 〃with anybody else on 

earth; yes。  With you; no。〃



Orde continued to laugh; still in the low undertone。



〃The worst of it is; I believe you're right;〃 said he at last。  〃You 

have the thing sized up; and there isn't a flaw in your reasoning。  

I always said that you were the brains of this concern。  If it were 

not for one thing; I'd compromise sure; and that one thing was 

beyond your power to foresee。〃



He paused。  Newisark's eyes half…closed again; in a quick d'arting 

effort of his brain to run back over all the elements of the game he 

was playing。  Orde waited in patience for him to speak。



〃What is it?〃 asked Newmark at last。  〃Heinzman died of smallpox at 

four o'clock this afternoon;〃 said Orde。







XLVIII





Newmark did not alter his attitude nor his expression; but his face 

slowly went gray。  For a full minute he sat absolutely motionless; 

his breath coming and going noisily through his contracted nostrils。  

Then he arose gropingly to his feet; and started toward one of the 

two doors leading from the room。



〃Where are you going?〃 asked Orde quietly。



Newmark steadied himself with an effort。



〃I'm going to get myself a dr

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