“Then instead of thanking me——”
He sighed deeply and did not continue the sentence.
“As I have informed you, Lord Stranleigh, my principals are not liable to you for those seventy thousand shares. You must seek your remedy against the stockbrokers.”
“That is exactly what I shall not do.”
“Then you will be non-suited in the courts.”
“But, my dear sir, haven’t I been telling you I’m not going to the courts? Like all respectable pirates, I abominate a court of law. It’s such a waste of time, don’t you know. Not only shall I take no action against the stockbrokers, but if your principals do not agree in writing also to take no action against them the price of shares shall rise suddenly. I am so much in sympathy with Mr. Schwartzbrod’s tender feelings toward the stockbrokers that I intend to protect them, and I am sure you will forgive me if I say that I very much doubt if any of the stockbrokers exceeded their instructions, even though times are hard in the city.”
“Then,” said Mr. Hahn, rising, and replacing the documents he brought once more in his inside pocket, “that is your ultimatum, is it?”
“I beg you, Mr. Hahn, not to give to my poor and stammering remarks so harsh a term. Ultimatum? Bless us all, no. I’m no President Kruger, but merely a somewhat lackadaisical man who is innocent of many of the ways of this wicked world. I hope you won’t represent me to the virtuous Mr. Schwartzbrod as a hard, contentious fellow. Tell him that I’m the most easy person in the world to deal with. Tell him the moment he sends me his check for seventy thousand pounds—I hope it will be a little less—Mr. Mac-keller here will figure out the exact amount, and run it into shillings and pence, and even farthings if necessary—the moment I get that check, the resignations, the guarantee that no harm will be done to the simple-minded stockbrokers, the balance in the bank, and some account of everything the company has done since it came into existence until the time it fell into my hands, why, tell him he has no greater admirer or well-wisher than myself.”
“I shall give him your message, my lord.”
“Do, but add to it that charming Biblical text, ‘Agree with thine adversary quickly.’ I think there’s something about squaring up things before the sun goes down, but I shan’t be so hasty as all that. Stock will remain at a pound during tomorrow. Next day it will rise a shilling, next day another shilling, the third day a third shilling. It’s so very easy to keep count of; just make a red mark on your calendar to-day, and if he allows two weeks to go past, why, there’s fourteen shillings added to the twenty he would have had to pay before.”