the riverman-第51节
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！
clenched fist。 〃Heinzman； if you don't make those July payments；
what's to become of you？ Where's your timber and your mills and
your new houseand that pretty daughter of yours？〃
Heinzman winced visibly。
〃I vill get an extension of time；〃 said he feebly。
〃Will you？〃 countered Newmark。
The two men looked each other in the eye for a moment。
〃Vell； maybe；〃 laughed Heinzman uneasily。 〃It looks to me like a
winner。〃
〃All right； then；〃 said Newmark briskly。 〃I'll make out a mortgage
at ten per cent for you； and you'll lend the money on it。 At the
proper time； if things happen that way； you will foreclose。 That's
all you have to do with it。 Then； when the timber land comes to you
under the foreclose； you will reconvey an undivided nine…tenths'
interestfor proper consideration； of course； and without recording
the deed。〃
Heinzman laughed with assumed lightness。
〃Suppose I fool you；〃 said he。 〃I guess I joost keep it for
mineself。〃
Newmark looked at him coldly。
〃I wouldn't；〃 he advised。 〃You may remember the member from Lapeer
County in that charter fight？ And the five hundred dollars for his
vote？ Try it on； and see how much evidence I can bring up。 It's
called bribery in this State； and means penitentiary usually。〃
〃You don't take a joke；〃 complained Heinzman。
Newmark arose。
〃It's understood； then？〃 he asked。
〃How so I know you play fair？〃 asked the German。
〃You don't。 It's a case where we have to depend more or less on
each other。 But I don't see what you stand to loseand anyway
you'll get carried over those July payments；〃 Newmark reminded him。
Heinzman was plainly uneasy and slightly afraid of these new waters
in which he swam。
〃If you reduce the firm's profits； he iss going to suspect；〃 he
admonished。
〃Who said anything about reducing the firm's profits？〃 said Newmark
impatiently。 〃If it does work out that way； we'll win a big thing；
if it does not； we'll lose nothing。〃
He nodded to Heinzman and left the office。 His demeanour was as dry
and precise as ever。 No expression illuminated his impassive
countenance。 If he felt the slightest uneasiness over having
practically delivered his intentions to the keeping of another； he
did not show it。 For one thing； an accomplice was absolutely
essential。 And； too； he held the German by his strongest passions
his avarice； his dread of bankruptcy； his pride； and his fear of the
penitentiary。 As he entered the office of his own firm； his eye
fell on Orde's bulky form seated at the desk。 He paused
involuntarily； and a slight shiver shook his frame from head to
footthe dainty； instinctive repulsion of a cat for a large
robustious dog。 Instantly controlling himself； he stepped forward。
〃I've made the loan；〃 he announced。
Orde looked up with interest。
〃The banks wouldn't touch northern peninsula；〃 said Newmark
steadily； 〃so I had to go to private individuals。〃
〃So you said。 Don't care who deals it out；〃 laughed Orde。
〃Thayer backed out； so finally I got the whole amount from
Heinzman；〃 Newmark announced。
〃Didn't know the old Dutchman was that well off；〃 said Orde； after a
slight pause。
〃Can't tell about those secretive old fellows；〃 said Newmark。
Orde hesitated。
〃I didn't know he was friendly enough to lend us money。〃
〃Business is business；〃 replied Newmark。
XXXIII
There exists the legend of an eastern despot who； wishing to rid
himself of a courtier； armed the man and shut him in a dark room。
The victim knew he was to fight something； but whence it was to
come； when； or of what nature he was unable to guess。 In the event；
while groping tense for an enemy； he fell under the fatal fumes of
noxious gases。
From the moment Orde completed the secret purchase of the California
timber lands from Trace； he became an unwitting participant in one
of the strangest duels known to business history。 Newmark opposed
to him all the subtleties； all the ruses and expedients to which his
position lent itself。 Orde； sublimely unconscious； deployed the
magnificent resources of strength； energy； organisation； and
combative spirit that animated his pioneer's soul。 The occult
manoeuverings of Newmark called out fresh exertions on the part of
Orde。
Newmark worked under this disadvantage： he had carefully to avoid
the slightest appearance of an attitude inimical to the firm's very
best prosperity。 A breath of suspicion would destroy his plans。 If
the smallest untoward incident should ever bring it clearly before
Orde that Newmark might have an interest in reducing profits； he
could not fail to tread out the logic of the latter's devious ways。
For this reason Newmark could not as yet fight even in the twilight。
He did not dare make bad sales； awkward transactions。 In spite of
his best efforts； he could not succeed； without the aid of chance；
in striking a blow from which Orde could not recover。 The profits
of the first year were not quite up to the usual standard； but they
sufficed。 Newmark's finesse cut in two the firm's income of the
second year。 Orde roused himself。 With his old…time energy of
resource； he hurried the woods work until an especially big cut gave
promise of recouping the losses of the year before。 Newmark found
himself struggling against a force greater than he had imagined it
to be。 Blinded and bound； it nevertheless made head against his
policy。 Newmark was forced to a temporary quiescence。 He held
himself watchful； intent； awaiting the opportunity which chance
should bring。
Chance seemed by no means in haste。 The end of the fourth year
found Newmark puzzled。 Orde had paid regularly the interest on his
notes。 How much he had been able to save toward the redemption of
the notes themselves his partner was unable to decide。 It depended
entirely on how much the Ordes had disbursed in living expenses；
whether or not Orde had any private debts； and whether or not he had
private resources。 In the meantime Newmark contented himself with
tying up the firm's assets in such a manner as to render it
impossible to raise money on its property when the time should come。
What Orde regarded as a series of petty annoyances had made the
problem of paying for the California timber a matter of greater
difficulty than he had supposed it would be。 A pressure whose
points of support he could not place was closing slowly on him。
Against this pressure he exerted himself。 It made him a trifle
uneasy； but it did not worry him。 The margin of safety was not as
broad as he had reckoned； but it existed。 And in any case； if worse
came to worst； he could always mortgage the California timber for
enough to make up the differenceand more。 Against this expedient；
however； he opposed a sentimental obstinacy。 It was Bobby's； and he
objected to encumbering it。 In fact； Orde was capable of a
prolonged and bitter struggle to avoid doing so。 Nevertheless； it
was therean asset。 A loan on its security would； with what he had
set aside； more than pay the notes on the northern peninsula
stumpage。 Orde felt perfectly easy in his mind。 He was in the
position of many of our rich men's sons who； quite sincerely and
earnestly； go penniless to the city to make their way。 They live on
their nine dollars a week； and go hungry when they lose their jobs。
They stand on their own feet； and yetin case of severe illness or
actual starvationthe old man is there！ It gives them a courage to
be contented on nothing。 So Orde would have gone to almost any
lengths to keep free 〃Bobby's tract；〃 but it stood always between
himself and disaster。 And a loan on western timber could be paid
off just as easily as a loan on eastern timber； when you came right
down to that。 Even could he have known his partner's intentions；
they would； on this account； have caused him no uneasiness； however
angry they would have made him； or however determined to break the
partnership。 Even though Newmark destroyed utterly the firm's
profits for the remaining year and a half the notes had to run； he
could not thereby ruin Orde's chances。 A loan on the California
timber would solve all problems now。 In this reasoning Orde would
have committed the mistake of all large and generous temperaments
when called upon to measure natures more subtle than their own。 He
would have underestimated both Newmark's resources and his own grasp
of situations。*
* The author has considered it useless to burden the course of the
narrative with a detailed account of Newmark's financial manoeuvres。
Realising； however； that a large class of his readers might be
interested in the exact particulars； he herewith gives a sketch of
the transactions。
It will be reme
