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He stood at the upper end of the gangway as the malgamite workers filed off a sorry crew, narrow-chested, hollow-eyed, with that half-hopeless, half-reckless air that tells of a close familiarity with disease and death. He nodded to them airily as they passed him. Some of them took the trouble to answer his salutation, others seemed indifferent. A few glanced at him with a sort of dull wonder.
This sort of speculative gambling comes to us from America. It was in America that the first cotton corner was conceived. That is what the paper means when it plainly calls it the malgamite corner. Now, what I want to know is this who has worked this thing?" "Percy Roden," answered Cornish, thoughtfully. "It is Roden's corner." "Then Roden's a clever fellow," said the great financier.
"As to the question of profit and loss," continued Lord Ferriby, "I am not, unfortunately, a business man myself, but I think we are all aware that the business part of the Malgamite scheme is in excellent hands. It is not, of course, intended that we, as shareholders, shall in any way profit by this new financial basis.
As the meeting was too small for applause, Lord Ferriby only allowed sufficient time for this great truth to be assimilated, and then continued "It is proposed, therefore, that we turn the Malgamite Works into a company, the most numerous shareholders to be the malgamiters themselves. The most numerous shareholders, mark you not the heaviest shareholders. These shall be ourselves.
There is no reason why we should not take a better house than this. Mrs. Vansittart knows of one in Park Straat which would suit us. Do you like her Mrs. Vansittart, I mean?" His tone was slightly patronizing again. The Malgamite was a success, it appeared, and assuredly success is the most difficult emergency that a man has to face in life. "Very much," answered Dorothy, quietly.
Joan was theoretically one of those of whom it is said that "she might marry anybody," and who, as the keen observer may see for himself, often finishes by failing to marry at all. She was pretty and popular, and had, moreover, the entree to the best houses. White had been useful to Lord Ferriby ever since the inauguration of the Malgamite scheme.
"Which way?" she inquired when they reached the canal. "Not that way, at all events," answered Roden, for his companion had turned her horse's head toward the malgamite works. He spoke with a laugh that was not pleasant to the ears, and a shadow passed through Mrs. Vansittart's dark eyes.
In one of the cottages a cold collation was set out on two long tables. There was a choice of wines, and notably some bottles of champagne on a side table. "For the journalists," explained Roden. "I have a number of them coming this afternoon to witness the arrival of the first batch of malgamite makers. There is nothing like judicious advertisement.
"The Malgamite," answered Joan. "It has always been a source of uneasiness to him. He never quite understood it." "No," answered the major, very deliberately, "he never quite understood it." And he looked out of the window with a thoughtful noncommitting face. "Neither do I understand it," said Joan, doubtfully. And the major looked suddenly dense. He had, as usual, no explanation to offer.
Let me beg of you to consider your position in regard to the Malgamite scheme and meet me to-morrow night between the Malie Veld and the Achter Weg about half-past nine. I cannot see you at the works, and it would be better for you not to come to my hotel." The letter was addressed to the Villa des Dunes, where Roden received it the next morning.
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