Part 28 (2/2)
You're a diamond in the rough. When once you've been cut and polished--”
”Then the flaws will show up in great shape,” gibed Blake.
”Never think it, old man! There is only one flaw, and that will disappear with the one cutting required to bring the stone to the best possible shape.”
”Stow it!” ordered Blake. The rattling of the doork.n.o.b drew his gaze about. ”Here's Grif, back at last. He's been to chin with Papa Leslie.”
He squinted aggressively at the older engineer, who entered with his usual air of seeming absorption in the performance of his most trivial actions. ”h.e.l.lo, you Injin! Gone into partners.h.i.+p with H. V.? You've been there all morning.”
”Other way 'round, if anything,” answered Griffith. He nodded cordially in response to the greeting of Lord James, and began rummaging in his pockets as he came over to the desk. ”Now, where's that letter?
Hey?--Oh, here it is.” He drew out a long envelope, and started to open it in a precise, deliberate manner.
”So he fired you, eh?” rallied Blake.
”In a way,” said Griffith, peering at the paper in his hand. ”It seems he's unloaded the Zariba project onto the Coville Company.”
”Thought it couldn't be put through, eh?” said Blake. ”Bet he didn't let it go for nothing, though.”
”It's not often he comes out at the little end of the horn,” replied Griffith. ”Didn't take the Coville people long to wake up to the situation. Look here.”
Blake took the opened letter, which was headed with the name and officers of the Coville Construction Company. He read it through with care, whistled, and read it through the second time.
”Well, what you think of it?” impatiently demanded Griffith.
”_Whee!_ They sure must think H. V. has left them to hold the bag.
Fifty thousand bonus to the engineer that shows 'em how the dam can be built!”
”Strict business,” croaked Griffith. ”The company is stuck if they quit. Fifty thousand is only ten per cent of their net profits if the project goes through. Wish I had a show at it.”
”Well, haven't you? It says any engineer.”
”I had quit before you came, only I didn't like to own up to H. V.”
”You needn't yet a while. I'll keep digging away at it. If I put it through, we divvy up. I'm working for you. See?”
”Not on your life, Tommy! I don't smouge on another man's work.”
”Well, then, we'll say I'm to split it because you put me next to the chance.”
”No go. I've no use for three-fourths of what I'm making nowadays. It's just piling up on me. Look here. I happened to speak about you to the Coville people--looking ahead, you know. They want me to try you out on some work I'm too busy to do myself. It's not much, and they offer only one-fifty a month as a starter, but it may lead to something better than I can do for you.”
”Yes, that's so,” considered Blake.
”It is checking field work reports that come in slowly this time of year. That's the only trouble. You'll be sitting around doing nothing half the time--that is, unless you're fool enough to waste any more time on this dam' dam.”
”Waste time?” cried Blake, his eyes flas.h.i.+ng. ”Watch me! Wait till you get your next bill for electric lights! You've given me my cue, Grif.
I'm going to buck through this little proposition in one-two-three style, grab my fifty thousand, and plunge into the New York Four Hundred as Tommy Van Damdam. Clear out, you hobos. I'm going to work!”
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