O’Hagan waved him to silence.
“Of all these things I am fully aware, Mr. Ritzmann; but I thought I had explained that I had selected you to publish these compositions?”
The other clutched the arms of his chair.
“Selected me?”
“That was my expression. Had the music been worthless——”
“It is worthless! Piffle!”
“Had the music been worthless I should not have offered it to you. But each of these nine items is a sound speculation. We shall require nine agreement-forms.”
Ritzmann, staring, rose slowly to his feet.
“Sit down, Mr. Ritzmann.”
Ritzmann moistened his thick lips preparatory to comment.