He looked at the president. Mr. Dawson bowed his head, as though thanking him for the information. There was a pause. Then the president went on, slowly: “That is a great deal of money, Mr. Grinnell, to have deposited in less than two months. It is more ready cash, with one, or possibly two exceptions, than any individual has on deposit in any one bank in the United States.”
“Indeed?” There was genuine astonishment in the young man’s voice. Dawson felt it unmistakably.
“Yes.”
“But there are so many very rich men.”
“Yes; but their riches are not in the shape of hard cash at the bank. The interest on that sum at the current rate is more than a thousand dollars a day. It is what makes your case so remarkable—a young man, unknown in the business world, the possessor of a vast fortune in gold. It is bound to excite extraordinary interest.”
“Then I am glad,” said Grinnell, almost apologetically, “that I did not deposit more.”
“What?” He was startled out of his bank presidentness, and stared at the young man with quite human amazement.
“Yes, sir. I was thinking that I would bring in ten millions next Thursday.”
