“Whatever you like,” exclaimed the other.
“Pardon me—it would have to be a good deal more definite than that,” Plowden declared. “A 'burnt child'—you know.”
The big man tapped musingly with his finger-nails on the desk. “We won't quarrel about that,” he said. “But what I'd like to know first,—you needn't give anything away that you don't want to,—but what's your plan? You say that they've got me in a hole, and that you can get me out.” “In effect—yes.”
“But how do you know that I can't get myself out? What do you know about the whole thing anyway? Supposing I tell you that I laugh at it—that there's no more ground for raising the suspicion of fraud than there is for—for suspecting that you've got wings and can fly.”
“I—I don't think you'll tell me that,” said Plowden, placidly.
“Well then, supposing I don't tell you that,” the other resumed, argumentatively. “Supposing I say instead that it can't be proved. If the Committee doesn't have proof NOW,—within twenty-one or twenty-two hours,—they can't do anything at all. Tomorrow is settling day. All along, I've said I would wind up the thing tomorrow. The market-price has been made for me by the jobbers yesterday and today. I'm all ready to end the whole business tomorrow—close it all out. And after that's done, what do I care about the Stock Exchange Committee? They can investigate and be damned! What could they do to me?”
“I think a man can always be arrested and indicted, and sent to penal servitude,” said Lord Plowden, with a certain solemnity of tone. “There are even well-known instances of extradition.”
Thorpe buried his chin deep in his collar, and regarded his companion with a fixed gaze, in which the latter detected signs of trepidation. “But about the Committee—and tomorrow,” he said slowly. “What do you say about that? How can they act in that lightning fashion? And even if proofs could be got, how do you suppose they are to be got on the drop of the hat, at a minute's notice?”
“The case is of sufficient importance to warrant a special meeting tomorrow morning,” the other rejoined. “One hour's notice, posted in the House, is sufficient, I believe. Any three members of the Committee can call such a meeting, and I understand that seven make a quorum. You will see that a meeting could be held at noon tomorrow, and within half an hour could make you a ruined man.”
“I don't know—would you call it quite ruined?” commented Thorpe. “I should still have a few sovereigns to go on with.”