"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that if we can start building our road and have it half
completed before Pennington jumps on us, GREGORY WILL SIMPLY HAVE TO
COME TO OUR AID IN SELF-DEFENSE. Once he ties up with us, he's
committed to the task of seeing us through. If we fall, he must pick
us up and carry us, whether he wants to or not; and I will so arrange
the deal that he will have to. I can do it, I tell you."
John Cardigan raised his hand. "No," he said firmly, "I will not
allow you to do this. That way--that is the Pennington method. If we
fall, my son, we pass out like gentlemen, not blackguards. We will
not take advantage of this man Gregory's faith. If he joins forces
with us, we lay our hand on the table and let him look."
"Then he'll never join hands with us, partner. We're done."
"We're not done, my son. We have one alternative, and I'm going to
take it. I've got to--for your sake. Moreover, your mother would have
wished it so."
"You don't mean--"
"Yes, I do. I'm going to sell Pennington my Valley of the Giants.
Thank God, that quarter-section does not belong to the Cardigan
Redwood Lumber Company. It is my personal property, and it is not
mortgaged. Pennington can never foreclose on it--and until he gets
it, twenty-five hundred acres of virgin timber on Squaw Creek are
valueless--nay, a source of expense to him.
Pages:
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215