Part 7 (2/2)

”He was my partner, but he died in the swamps, poor chap. We had horrible weather coming back. It pretty near finished me.”

Trent did not mention the fact that for four days and nights they were hiding in holes and up trees from the natives whom the King of Bekwando had sent after them, that their bearers had fled away, and that they had been compelled to leave the track and make their way through an unknown part of the bush.

”But your partner's share,” the Jew asked. ”What of that?”

”It belongs to me,” Trent answered shortly. ”We fixed it so before we started. We neither of us took much stock in our relations. If I had died, Monty would have taken the lot. It was a fair deal. You'll find it there!”

The Jew nodded.

”And your partner?” he said. ”You saw him die! There is no doubt about that?”

Trent nodded.

”He is as dead,” he said, ”as Julius Caesar.”

”If I offered you--” Da Souza began.

”If you offered me four thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine pounds,”

Trent interrupted roughly, ”I would tell you to go to glory.”

Da Souza sighed. It was a hard man to deal with--this.

”Very well,” he said, ”if I give way, if I agree to your terms, you will be willing to make over this sixth share to me, both on your own account and on account of your late partner?”

”You're right, mate,” Trent a.s.sented. ”Plank down the bra.s.s, and it's a deal.”

”I will give you four thousand pounds for a quarter share,” Da Souza said.

Trent knocked the ashes from his pipe and stood up.

”Here, don't waste any more of my time,” he said. ”Stand out of the way, I'm off.”

Da Souza kept his hands upon the concession.

”My dear friend,” he said, ”you are so violent. You are so abrupt. Now listen. I will give you five thousand for a quarter share. It is half my fortune.”

”Give me the concession,” Trent said. ”I'm off.”

”For a fifth,” Da Souza cried.

Trent moved to the door without speech. Da Souza groaned.

”You will ruin me,” he said, ”I know it. Come then, five thousand for a sixth share. It is throwing money away.”

”If you think so, you'd better not part,” Trent said, still lingering in the doorway. ”Just as you say. I don't care.”

For a full minute Da Souza hesitated. He had an immense belief in the richness of the country set out in the concession; he knew probably more about it than Trent himself. But five thousand pounds was a great deal of money and there was always the chance that the Government might not back the concession holders in case of trouble. He hesitated so long that Trent was actually disappearing before he had made up his mind.

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