On their return to George Yard, Mendes was stopped in the outer office by the gentleman who had interviewed Alistair. He excused himself to Stuart for a few minutes, and nearly a quarter of an hour elapsed before Alistair again found himself in the financier’s room.
“Well, I have heard something about your friend,” Mendes said grimly, as he sat down.
Alistair’s heart sank at the Brazilian’s tone. He waited for him to speak.
Mendes went on deliberately.
“Perhaps I ought to say I have heard something about his father. I don’t suppose this young fellow is anything more than a tool.”
“What have you heard?”
“I have heard this: that the last time he got a quarter of a million out of a confiding Greek in order to make a descent on his kingdom, as he calls it, he spent the whole of the money on his own pleasures, without ever going within five hundred miles of the frontier.”
“I don’t think Don Juan would do that,” Alistair protested.
“He will not get the chance,” the other said brutally. “We are going to lend no more money to these kings of the hooligans.”
“You think he has no chance of success?”