"Is that your final answer?"
"It is."
"But look here, Mr. Swift," and Cunningham's voice was almost whining now, "what objection have you to making these machines for me?"
"Will you tell me what you intend to use them for?" countered Tom.
"No, I will not!" was the answer snapped back quickly. "It isn't any of your affair!"
From the manner in which Cunningham banged the receiver on the hook, Tom felt that the Englishman was in a towering rage. Ned could only guess at half of the conversation, but Tom gave it to him in detail a little later.
"Why do you think he is so secretive about what the machines are to be used for?" the young financial manager wanted to know.
"Because there's a nigger in the woodpile—that's my opinion!"
"You still think Cunningham intends to infringe?"
"I do. The fact that he comes back to me after my first refusal shows that he has tried to get other concerns to take up his work and has failed."