Adam was a man who had no compunction where men were concerned, and very little when a woman stood in his way. His own adventures would have made one of the most interesting volumes ever written. Full of ingenuity and tact, fearless when it came to facing exposure, and light-hearted whenever the world smiled upon him, he was a marvellous admixture of good fellow and scoundrel.
He knew that his clever story had fascinated the man before him, and that it was only a question of time before he would fall into the net so cleverly spread.
“When do you anticipate you could go East—that is, providing I can get the matter postponed?” asked Adam at last, as he placed his cigarette end in the ash-tray.
“I can’t give you a date,” replied Max. “It is quite uncertain. Why not go to somebody else?”
“I tell you I have no desire to do so, my dear friend,” was the Frenchman’s reply. “I like you. That is why I placed the business before you. I know, of course, there are a thousand men in the City who would only jump at this chance of such a big thing.”
“Then why not go to them?” repeated Max, a little surprised and yet a little flattered.
“As I have told you, I would rather take you into partnership. We have already decided to do the thing on a sound business basis. Indeed, I went to my lawyers only yesterday and gave orders for the agreement to be drawn up between us. You’ll receive it to-night or to-morrow.”
“Well,” replied Max with some hesitation, “if it is to be done, it must be done later. At present I cannot get away. My place is in London.”
“Beside the lady to whom you are so devoted, eh?” the Frenchman laughed.
Max was irritated by the man’s veiled sarcasm.