登陆注册
5170900000099

第99章

"My little niece--you mean Lizzie?...Well and happy, well and happy.I--I got "--he drew a thick bundle of dirty papers from his pocket, envelopes, newspapers, circulars, and the like--" I--I--I got, I got her picture here somewheres.""Yes, yes, I know, I know," cried Jadwin."I've seen it.You showed it to me yesterday, you remember.""I--I got it here somewheres...somewheres," persisted the old man, fumbling and peering, and as he spoke the clerk from the doorway announced:

"Mr.Scannel."

This latter was a large, thick man, red-faced, with white, short whiskers of an almost wiry texture.He had a small, gimlet-like eye, enormous, hairy ears, wore a "sack" suit, a highly polished top hat, and entered the office with a great flourish of manner and a defiant trumpeting "Well, how do, Captain?"Jadwin nodded, glancing up under his scowl.

"Hello!" he said.

The other subsided into a chair, and returned scowl for scowl.

"Oh, well," he muttered, "if that's your style."He had observed Hargus sitting by the other side of the desk, still fumbling and mumbling in his dirty memoranda, but he gave no sign of recognition.There was a moment's silence, then in a voice from which all the first bluffness was studiously excluded, Scannel said:

"Well, you've rung the bell on me.I'm a sucker.Iknow it.I'm one of the few hundred other God-damned fools that you've managed to catch out shooting snipe.

Now what I want to know is, how much is it going to cost me to get out of your corner? What's the figure?

What do you say?"

"I got a good deal to say," remarked Jadwin, scowling again.

But Hargus had at last thrust a photograph into his hands.

"There it is," he said."That's it.That's Lizzie."Jadwin took the picture without looking at it, and as he continued to speak, held it in his fingers, and occasionally tapped it upon the desk.

"I know.I know, Hargus," he answered."I got a good deal to say, Mr.David Scannel.Do you see this old man here?""Oh-h, cut it out!" growled the other.

"It's Hargus.You know him very well.You used to know him better.You and he together tried to swing a great big deal in September wheat once upon a time.

Hargus! I say, Hargus!"

The old man looked up.

"Here's the man we were talking about, Scannel, you remember.Remember Dave Scannel, who was your partner in seventy-eight? Look at him.This is him now.He's a rich man now.Remember Scannel?"Hargus, his bleared old eyes blinking and watering, looked across the desk at the other.

"Oh, what's the game?" exclaimed Scannel."I ain't here on exhibition, I guess.I----"But he was interrupted by a sharp, quick gasp that all at once issued from Hargus's trembling lips.The old man said no word, but he leaned far forward in his chair, his eyes fixed upon Scannel, his breath coming short, his fingers dancing against his chin.

"Yes, that's him, Hargus," said Jadwin."You and he had a big deal on your hands a long time ago," he continued, turning suddenly upon Scannel, a pulse in his temple beginning to beat."A big deal, and you sold him out""It's a lie!" cried the other.

Jadwin beat his fist upon the arm of his chair.His voice was almost a shout as he answered:

"_You--sold--him--out._ I know you.I know the kind of bug you are.You ruined him to save your own dirty hide, and all his life since poor old Hargus has been living off the charity of the boys down here, pinched and hungry and neglected, and getting on, God knows how; yes, and supporting his little niece, too, while you, you have been loafing about your clubs, and sprawling on your steam yachts, and dangling round after your kept women--on the money you stole from him."Scannel squared himself in his chair, his little eyes twinkling.

"Look here," he cried, furiously, "I don't take that kind of talk from the best man that ever wore shoe-leather.Cut it out, understand? Cut it out."Jadwin's lower jaw set with a menacing click;aggressive, masterful, he leaned forward.

"You interrupt me again," he declared, "and you'll go out of that door a bankrupt.You listen to me and take my orders.That's what you're here to-day for.If you think you can get your wheat somewheres else, suppose you try."Scannel sullenly settled himself in his place.He did not answer.Hargus, his eye wandering again, looked distressfully from one to the other.Then Jadwin, after shuffling among the papers of his desk, fixed a certain memorandum with his glance.All at once, whirling about and facing the other, he said quickly:

"You are short to our firm two million bushels at a dollar a bushel.""Nothing of the sort," cried the other."It's a million and a half."Jadwin could not forbear a twinkle of grim humour as he saw how easily Scannel had fallen into the trap.

"You're short a million and a half, then," he repeated.

"I'll let you have six hundred thousand of it at a dollar and a half a bushel.""A dollar and a half! Why, my God, man! Oh well"--Scannel spread out his hands nonchalantly--"I shall simply go into bankruptcy--just as you said.""Oh, no, you won't," replied Jadwin, pushing back and crossing his legs."I've had your financial standing computed very carefully, Mr.Scannel.You've got the ready money.I know what you can stand without busting, to the fraction of a cent.""Why, it's ridiculous.That handful of wheat will cost me three hundred thousand dollars.""Pre-cisely."

And then all at once Scannel surrendered.Stony, imperturbable, he drew his check book from his pocket.

"Make it payable to bearer," said Jadwin.

The other complied, and Jadwin took the check and looked it over carefully.

"Now," he said, "watch here, Dave Scannel.You see this check? And now," he added, thrusting it into Hargus's hands, "you see where it goes.There's the principal of your debt paid off.""The principal?"

同类推荐
  • 道德经顺朱

    道德经顺朱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上慈悲道场灭罪水忏

    太上慈悲道场灭罪水忏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 闽海纪略

    闽海纪略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 二林唱和詩

    二林唱和詩

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 厦门志

    厦门志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 海底两万里

    海底两万里

    《海底两万里》是“科幻小说之父”凡尔纳的著名作品,讲述海怪出没,发现“鹦鹉螺”号,并进行深海旅行的故事,是一部出色的悬念小说,充满了高深动人的想象。
  • 天命帝后倾君心

    天命帝后倾君心

    等待,是一生最初的苍老。爱情的最初,原本就是一场心甘情愿的等待,等你遇到我,等你发现我爱你,等你发现原来你也同样爱着我。等待之初,她奉师命每日守在王府门口,感动王府众人:追求王爷的女子中,她是最执着的一个!执着你妹!传说南拓瑾王宛若谪仙、温润如玉,某女45°仰望天空,骂道:弥天大谎!自己不要脸也就算了,姐很宝贝的脸也被他丢光了!甜宠爱恋,爆笑经典,腹黑情深,共谱一曲倾城之恋!敢不敢,奋不顾身的爱一场?
  • 穿越之天后进化论

    穿越之天后进化论

    素有“东方夜莺”之称的民国歌女白疏影,死后借尸还魂,成为21世纪的一个三流明星。谁知这三流明星还是个重生之身,前一世寄希望于影帝男友,到头来却被人抛弃,成为整个娱乐圈的笑话,最终想不开寻了短见。重活一世,白疏影决定好好经营她的人生。影帝?她可没兴趣,她的目标是凭借自己的努力成为天后!
  • 明月佳期

    明月佳期

    不要瞧不起古人,以为唱个摇滚背个唐诗就能震倒一片。地球人都知道,要想在古代立足,你也要有一技之长!纺织酿酒?引领时尚改善古代工业技术?很好!行医状师,为老百姓谋福利?厨艺种植?混的风生水起才是正经事!
  • 金莲正宗记

    金莲正宗记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 你一定爱读的宇宙未解之谜

    你一定爱读的宇宙未解之谜

    本书作为权威专家精心打造的科普读物,力求融知识、趣味和探索于一体,囊括宇宙万物中玄奥的科学原理,揭秘了宇宙中鲜为人知的秘密,介绍了宇宙中的各个天体和星座以及神奇现象和奇幻事件。全书资料翔实,文字简练,语言通俗,富有韵味,为你解开宇宙之谜,让你尽览宇宙的神奇。
  • 炎徼纪闻

    炎徼纪闻

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 天厨禁脔

    天厨禁脔

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 海界之航星

    海界之航星

    不知是无意还是奇遇,在韩峰醒来后周围是一片陌生的地方。有人告诉他说这是海的世界。 敌人的阴谋,海中的异兽,身世的谜团将在这里逐渐揭晓! 途中他会经历怎样的冒险,又怎样一步步解开心中的疑问! 他最终又会做出什么选择! 韩峰的奇幻冒险之旅将在加入的那一刻就此启航……
  • 锦绣医图之贵女当嫁

    锦绣医图之贵女当嫁

    霍七七不愿意当好人,但是她却当了一辈子好人。只是别人的一辈子很长,她的一辈子却被定格在二十四岁那一年。当她在飞机上一脚踹下死对头眼睁睁看着飞机爆炸时,她才知道,原来自己也有害怕的时候。后悔吗?她不知道,因为来不及多想。当现代天才穿越到古代,附身在同名的姑娘身上时,霍七七无比庆幸,她终于又活过来了。本以为在古代,从今往后,她就是个小有情趣的闺中小女时,她又忽然发现,她想得好像太多了。谁能告诉她,为什么一个弱女子头上要顶着京城第一大纨绔的名号。霍七七为此哀叹不已,得了,还是先正名要紧。好不容易在她的奋斗之下要熬出头之际,谁又能告诉她,为毛她又和京城六皇子传出绯闻,还是断袖的那种。好吧,虽然源头在她,不过革命尚未成功,同志还得努力,为了尊严和名誉,她只能再拼一把了.......