"`Well,'; he said, 'what's in your mind about it?'
"We were now up to the trade and I stated the terms.
"'It's like this,' I said, 'Tavor's down and out. He's got only
six months to live. Fifth Avenue piled full of gold won't do him
any good if he's got to wait for it. What he wants is a little
money quick!'
"Old Nute's eyes squinted.
"'How much money?' he said.
"'Well,' I said, 'Tavor will turn his map over to you for ten
thousand dollars . . . Death's crowding him.'
"Old Nute's fat fingers began to drum on his waistcoat.
"`How do I know the gold's there and the map's straight?'
"'Did you ever know Tavor to lie?' I said.
"'No,' he said, 'Tavor's not a liar; but I am a business man, Mr.
Barclay, and in business we do not go on verbal assurances, no
matter how unquestioned.'
"'That's right,' I replied, `I'm a business man, too; that's why
I came instead of sending Tavor . . . . you found out he wasn't a
business man in the first deal.'
"Then I took my `shooting irons' out of my pocket and laid them
on the table.
"There,' I said, `are twenty, one-thousand United States bonds,
not registered,' and I put my hand on one of the big manilla
envelopes.
Pages:
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252