d 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 lose--and 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
foot--the 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 wa