“It might perhaps be the name of—of a person, too.”
The banker shrugged his shoulders. He turned to the inventory. Putting on his glasses, he re-read the paper carefully. When he had finished, he glanced up, saying:
“Well, Mr. Brainard, now for business, as your people say. What do you want me to give you in exchange for these securities and papers?”
“What they are worth.”
“Ah, that would be very hard to say!”
“What would they be worth to Mr. Krutzmacht, if he were here?”
“If Mr. Krutzmacht were alive, they might be worth a great deal,” the banker said cautiously, “and yet they might have no value, now that he is dead.”
“He seemed to think they had some value,” Brainard said flatly.
The banker fidgeted.
“Oh, of course, naturally!”