"Perhaps if a fresh mind were to take it up," suggested Montague.
"It is difficult to see how a man of your resources could be left
without anything--"
"Everything I have is mortgaged," said the other. "I have been
borrowing money right and left. I was counting on profits--I was
counting on increases in value. And now see--everything is wiped
out! There is not value enough left in anything to cover the loans."
"But surely, Mr. Ryder, this slump is merely temporary. Values must
be restored--"
"It will be years, it will be years! And in the meantime I shall be
forced to sell. They have wiped me out--they have destroyed me! I
have not even money to live on."
Montague sat for a few moments in thought. "Mrs. Taylor wrote me
that Waterman--" he began.
"I know, I know!" cried the other. "He had to tell her something, to
get what he wanted."
Montague said nothing.
"And suppose he does what he promised?" continued the other. "He has
done it before--but am I to be one of Dan Waterman's lackeys?"
There was a silence. "Like John Lawrence," continued Ryder, in a low
voice.
Pages:
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331