“Good. But may I point out to you that we—I and my two friends—have no evidence that they were bought to our joint account?” Weiss continued suavely.
“What do you want?” Gaunt demanded, and there was an ugly expression in his eyes, which the Jew did not observe.
“Just a little piece of paper, setting out the facts, and with your name to it.”
“So that’s your errand. Well, you won’t have it, for I’m not quite a fool, Weiss. Let us suppose that the sending of this cable was traced to one of your instruments.”
Weiss rose to his feet and gesticulated furiously.
“What do you mean?”
“I repeat that I am not quite a fool. I know that this cable is a fraud. That the shares will be rushed up—are being rushed up at the present moment—and that we shall reap a handsome profit. You and your friends will get your share of it. So you thought that you could hoodwink me, did you?”
“I don’t admit that the cable is a fraud. But that doesn’t matter. What concerns me is that we are entirely in your hands. You need give us nothing, if you don’t want to.”
“Quite right, Weiss; but you must remember that I happen to be honest according to my lights. No man can say that John Gaunt ever went back on his word. If I make a promise I carry it out. Isn’t that my reputation in the City?”
“Yes—but it isn’t business,” Weiss answered grudgingly.