"Van!"
Mr. Van Diest felt in his pockets and produced a banker's draft which he laid on the table before Richard. It was payable to the order of Anthony Barraclough.
Richard flicked it aside.
"Old ground," he said. "No good to me, gentlemen."
"Let's talk."
"Fire away."
"I needn't repeat what you have to do to earn that trifle, Anthony, but here's a point worth considering. Doubtless you got the idea the price we're willing to pay'll rise. You're wrong—it'll fall. If you speak tonight that draft's yours and an interest beside, but every day you keep us waiting'll cost you fifty thousand pounds."
"Thank God I can afford it," said Richard.
"Roughly speaking it'll pan out over a period of three weeks, at the end of which time you get just nothing, savez?"
"I savez that you and I will be in the same position at the end as we are at the beginning."