Part 3 (1/2)
”It sounds like a bribe. But these pickings? They must come out of the shareholders' pockets.”
”In the end, they do.”
”Though I'm not a business man, it seems to me that capital put into shafts and reducing plant stands a fair chance of being productive.
That spent in starting the concern is largely wasted.”
”We are spending less than usual. May I ask what your idea of the object of floating a company is?”
”Mine would be the expectation of getting a good dividend on the stock I took in it.”
Leonard looked amused.
”Excellent, so far as it goes; but there's sometimes a little more than that.”
Andrew sat silent a while. Then he said:
”I gather that this new scheme will be subscribed for because Allinson's guarantees it.”
”It's impossible to guarantee a mining scheme, but, in a sense, you're right. The firm's name will count.”
”Well,” said Andrew, ”I'd like to go to Canada and take some share in starting things--you see, I know the country. Then, as I suppose some of my money will be put into the business, you might, perhaps, make me a director. I'd be of no use in London, but I might do something in Canada.”
Leonard was surprised, but the suggestion pleased him. The name of Andrew Allinson would have its influence on investors.
”It is not a bad idea,” he said. ”We'll see what can be done.”
Andrew then changed the subject.
”How's business generally?”
”Pretty fair; we have made some profitable ventures in South America.
You will remember my bringing Senor Pinola down? We made some money out of him.”
”How?” Andrew asked without much interest. ”The fellow had a dash of the n.i.g.g.e.r or Indian in him.”
”He was Dictator Valhermosa's secret agent.”
”Then you supported Valhermosa's administration during the unsuccessful revolution?”
”We did. They wanted to re-arm the troops quietly in preparation; Pinola came over to buy new rifles and machine-guns, and as he couldn't pay ready money we arranged the matter. There was a risk, but we got some valuable concessions as security, and turned them over afterward to a German syndicate on excellent terms.”
Andrew's face was grim when he looked up.
”And I gave Pinola two days' shooting instead of pitching him into the nearest bog! To think of Allinson's backing that brute Valhermosa is somewhat of a shock.”
”What do you know about him?”
”A good deal. Warren, the naturalist who was with me in Canada, spent some time in his country and has friends there. He used to talk about the things he'd seen, and the memory of his stories makes me savage yet, because I believe them. I have other acquaintances who have lived in parts of the world that business men don't often reach. If you don't know how rubber's collected and minerals are worked in countries where there's a subject native population, you'd better not find out.”