He looked down at his
knee-boots, with their muddied soles, and then at the statue again on the
table. "I don't mind you're doing me. Turn about is fair play.
"I've done you out of your job." Then he added to the old man: "It's good
news I've got. I've made the contract with the French firm at our
price."
"At our price!" remarked the other with a grim smile. "For the lot?"
"Yes, for the lot, and I've made the contracts with the ships to carry
it."
"At our price?" again asked the old man. Tarboe nodded. "Just a little
better."
"I wouldn't have believed those two things could have been done in the
time." Grier rubbed his hands cheerfully. "That's a good day's work.
It's the best you've done since you've come."
Carnac watched the scene with interest. No envy moved him, his soul was
free from malice. Evidently Tarboe was a man of power. Ruthless he
might be, ruthless and unsparing, but a man of power.
At that instant a clerk entered with a letter in his hand. "Mrs. Grier
said to give you this," he remarked to Carnac, handing it to him.
Carnac took it and the clerk departed. The letter had an American
postmark, and the handwriting on the letter brought trouble to his eyes.
He composed himself, however, and tore off the end of the envelope,
taking out the letter.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85