"
"You will?" yelled Uncle Henry, wheeling close to him.
"If I get this place, I'm willing to give him a good bonus," Hardy
continued.
Uncle Henry leaned forward, all eagerness. "How much?" he cried.
"Say, five hundred dollars," the loan shark generously offered.
"I knew there was a ketch in it!" Uncle Henry said, and rolled back in the
shadows of the alcove.
Lopez had been listening intently. Now he stepped up to Hardy and said:
"Senor Santy Claus, now I understand why it is so 'ard for your country to
get ze soldier. In Mexico, ze soldiers would take all ze money and give ze
people a bonus ... per'aps." He puffed his cigarette. "I am done wiz you."
He turned abruptly to Lucia. "Now I shall come to you."
She started.
"You love my frand, Senor Jones?"
Gilbert intervened. He could not stand this. "I don't know what you're
getting at," he said to Lopez, "nor how you're going to get it. But you
must see that you can't discuss a thing like this here. It's
impossible--utterly impossible." He was suffering vicariously for Lucia.
Pell sneered. "Your delicacy is somewhat delayed," he murmured.
"I don't mind business discussions. But there's been too much insinuation
to-day.
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