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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