“That's going a little faster,” he told Newmark cheerfully.
The following morning, also, he was much encouraged by the reception his plan gained from the other lumbermen. At lunch he recapitulated to Newmark.
“That's four contracts already,” said he, “and three more practically a sure thing. Proctor and Heinzman are slower than molasses about everything, and mean as pusley, and Johnson's up in the air, the way he always is, for fear some one's going to do him.”
“It isn't a bad outlook,” admitted Newmark.
But Heinzman offered a new problem for Orde's consideration.
“I haf talked with Proctor,” said he, “and ve like your scheme. If you can deliffer our logs here for two dollars and a quarter, why, that is better as ve can do it; but how do ve know you vill do it?”
“I'll guarantee to get them here all right,” laughed Orde.
“But what is your guarantee good for?” persisted Heinzman blandly, locking his fingers over his rotund little stomach. “Suppose the logs are not deliffered—what then? How responsible are you financially?”
“Well, we're investing seventy-five thousand dollars or so.”
Heinzman rubbed his thumb and forefinger together and wafted the imaginary pulverisation away.