“You’ve taught her her lesson too well for her to forget it,” he continued as Baldwin merely sent Nancy to an unknown destination.
“She says a man who’s all for himself isn’t to be trusted without security, and what can I say? You wouldn’t do it if you were in her place.”
Baldwin scowled and said nothing that could be distinguished.
“There’s one way out and only one, that I can see; but I’ve mentioned it till I’m tired. I’ll lend you five hundred;—it’s all I can lay my hands on; but five hundred’ll see you out o’ the ditch; five hundred’ll put you on your feet. And what do I ask for it? Five per cent., that’s all; just what you pay Nancy; and you boggle at it!”
“I do naught o’ t’ sort,” flashed Baldwin fiercely. “I’ll pay you ten; I’ll pay you a damned sight more’n you’ll get anywhere else; but I’ll see you blaze before I’ll give you a bill o’ sale; so there you have it!”
Inman turned on his seat with a gesture of restrained impatience.
“You’d sooner sink in the bog than clutch a dirty rope and be saved! It’s damned folly! I don’t like bills o’ sale, who does? But if you think I’m going to lend my money for your creditors to grab if the worst comes to the worst, you’re mistaken. I can save the business yet; but I’m man and not master, and may be sacked at a minute’s notice, same as you sacked Jagger. It’s either a bill o’ sale, or we flounder on for another month or so and then—”
He shrugged his shoulders; but Baldwin was not looking. He had emptied his glass and the bottle and his eyes were on the table. Inman watched him, and a smile, that was nearly as ugly as the frown it replaced, spread over his face.
“What objection is there to it?” he went on with less heat. “I only want it for security; it isn’t same as I was taking aught from you. Has to be registered, you say? Well, you’ll be registered a deal more in another month or two if you don’t do it. And that’ll go against the grain when the Herald and all the other papers have you listed as bankrupt.”
The other’s face became distorted with passion, but the oaths he poured out left Inman unmoved.