Jimmy felt Jordan, whom he had seen take out a wallet and a fountain-pen, thrust something into his hand. He glanced at it before he faced the auctioneer.
"I don't know how far that was admissible or inspired," he said. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. This draft should, I think, speak for itself."
The auctioneer apparently waited for him to take it across, but Jimmy quietly sat down.
"If you will send your clerk," he said.
The clerk came forward, and a trace of amusement and awakening interest crept into the faces of the rest.
"That's satisfactory," said the auctioneer. "The signature in question is quite sufficient. I'll record your bid. Will anybody raise it?"
Then the men became intent, and two of them went up by forties. Jimmy glanced at his companion, who nodded.
"Go right ahead. Merril and the other man want her," he said.
A few minutes later, to Jimmy's astonishment, Forster came in and stood beside them.
"What's the figure?" he asked, and, when Jordan told him, "Is she worth it?"