Part 32 (1/2)
Once I used to sit back and let others keep all the easy money, but I don't any more, not any more.” With considerable relish he rolled the words upon his tongue and nodded at Gretzinger.
The latter scowled.
”How much do you want?” he demanded.
Pat spat, then remained pursing his lips while he engaged in calculation. Once he shook his head and muttered, ”Not enough,” and again after a time repeated the words. The man by the stove glared at the seated contractor during the prolonged period of study as if he hoped his look would consume him.
”How much?” he questioned a second time, impatiently.
Pat looked up at Gretzinger from under his bushy eyebrows with a steely glint showing. The lines of his weather-beaten face had hardened.
”I don't like you,” he stated. ”I don't like you at all. When I work for people I don't like, it costs them money. I like you less and less all the time. If I go ahead and finish the ditch, I'll be liking you so little that I'll be hating myself. And when I don't like any one that much, I don't do it cheap. The job will cost you one hundred thousand dollars.”
”You--you----” Gretzinger choked.
”Cash down before I move a wheel,” Pat added, calmly.
The other was white with rage. He cast his cigarette upon the floor and ground it under his heel. His lips worked and twisted in a vicious snarl. Carrigan observed him unmoved; and Bryant had turned his head about to see.
”You grafters, you infernal thieves, you pair of rotten crooks!” he shouted, shooting murderous glances from one to the other. ”You've 'framed' me! Arranged it between you. Been waiting for me to come back so you could spring your game! If there's any law in this state, I'll have you both where you belong for deliberately wrecking this company--in a cell!”
His raving outburst continued for a while in this strain. His voice had the high and squealing pitch of a wild pig caught fast by a foot; on his pink, fleshy face, now distended with anger, was a look, too, of porcine hate and fury. The cynical and patronizing manner he usually affected had dropped off, leaving revealed his actual coa.r.s.e, spiteful, greedy, craven spirit--a creature of infinite meanness. At length, however, Gretzinger's torrent of abuse diminished until it ended in a last muddy dripping of threats and curses. With an effort he strove to pull himself together and a.s.sume a composure his eyes belied, while he lighted another of his offensive Turkish cigarettes.
After a time he said shortly:
”You can't bluff me. When you fellows get down to my figures, then we'll do business.”
”Look out! Your coat is scorching--or is it only that tobacco?” Bryant rejoined.
Gretzinger stepped hastily aside and felt behind him, where his hand moved about on the hot cloth fabric with searching movements. The solicitude for his garment thus quickened seemed to effect the final dispersion of his inward heat.
”Well, are we going to get together on an arrangement?” he questioned, when a.s.sured his coat was uninjured.
”I stated my terms--fifty thousand,” Lee said. ”That or nothing.”
”You won't get it.”
”Then there's the alternative of the bondholders putting up money enough to finish the work.”
”That, neither.”
”All right, Gretzinger,” Bryant stated, rising. ”You have an idea that I'll give in----”
”Yes, I have. You'll grab this ten thousand I offer, grab it quick by to-morrow night, which is the limit I set for it to remain open. I've seen men before in a tight hole who swore they wouldn't take the terms handed them, but they always did in the end, and so will you. Only a fool wouldn't. And I fancy Carrigan won't sacrifice a good piece of work in a dull season and pull off his men and teams.”
Pat hoisted himself off his seat stiffly.
”Why don't your outfit sell instead of trying to buy?” he asked, crossing to Lee's desk and obtaining a can of tobacco sitting there.
”I suppose they'll sell.” He began to stuff his pipe, pressing the tobacco into the bowl with a brown forefinger.