“You swindler!” he shouted angrily. “You have the impudence—”
“Careful! That’s not a pretty name, Herr Schneider,” Brainard replied coldly. “Perhaps I am not the only crook in this business. Don’t get excited. You don’t have to take my offer.”
The banker slowly subsided into his chair.
“We shall appeal to the courts!” he snarled.
“What courts? I thought you might try to bluff, and so I suggested having our talk in some neutral place.”
“You are pretty shrewd, my young man. You take all these precautions for the sake of Mr. Krutzmacht’s heirs, I suppose,” he sneered unpleasantly.
“Careful now! I don’t mind one bit going to a Dutch jail for slugging you; but what good would that do either of us? The stuff isn’t here, you know.”
With this Brainard rose to his feet and took his coat and bag.
“Where are you going?” the banker asked in some alarm.
“Oh, I’ll take a look about the place, I guess, and then go back to Paris. I don’t believe you and I can do business to advantage in your present mood.”