"If you vill give a bond for the performance of your contract,"
pursued Heinzman, "that vould be satisfactory."
Orde's mind was struck chaotic by the reasonableness of this
request, and the utter impossibility of acceding to it.
"How much of a bond?" he asked.
"Twenty-fife thousand vould satisfy us," said Heinzman. "Bring us a
suitable bond for that amount and ve vill sign your contract."
Orde ran down the stairs to find Newmark. "Heinzman won't sign
unless we give him a bond for performance," he said in a low tone,
as he dropped into the chair next to Newmark.
Newmark removed his unlighted cigar, looked at the chewed end, and
returned it to the corner of his mouth.
"Heinzman has sense," said he drily. "I was wondering if ordinary
business caution was unknown out here."
"Can we get such a bond? Nobody would go on my bond for that
amount."
"Mine either," said Newmark. "We'll just have to let them go and
drive ahead without them. I only hope they won't spread the idea.
Better get those other contracts signed up as soon as we can."
With this object in view, Orde started out early the next morning,
carrying with him the duplicate contracts on which Newmark had been
busy.
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