The two men found Baker1 seated behind his flat-top desk. He grinned cheerfully at them; and, to Bob's surprise, greeted him with great joviality2.
"All hail, great Chief!" he cried. "I've had my scalp nicely smoke-tanned for you, so you won't have to bother taking it." He bowed to Orde. "I'm glad to see you, sir," said he. "Know you by your picture. Please be seated."
Bob brushed the levity3 aside.
"I've come," said he, "to get an explanation from you as to why, in the first place, you had me kidnapped; and why, in the second place, you tried to get me murdered."
Baker's mocking face became instantly grave; and, leaning forward, he hit the desk a thump4 with his right fist.
"Orde," said he, "I want you to believe me in this: I never was more sorry for anything in my life! I wouldn't have had that happen for anything in the world! If I'd had the remotest idea that Oldham contemplated5 something of that sort, I should have laid very positive orders on him. He said he had something on you that would keep your mouth shut, but I never dreamed he meant gun play."
"I don't suppose you dreamed he meant kidnapping either," observed Bob.
Baker threw himself back with a chuckle6.
"Being kidnapped is fine for the health," said he. "Babies thrive on it. No," he continued, again leaning forward gravely, "Oldham got away from his instructions completely. Shooting or that kind of violence was absurd in such a case. You mustn't lay that to me, but to his personal grudge7."
"What do you know of a personal grudge?" Bob flashed back.
"Ab-so-lute-ly nothing; but I suspected. It's part of my job to be a nifty young suspector--and to use what I guess at. He just got away from me. As for the rest of it, that's part of the game. This is no croquet match; you must expect to get your head bumped if you play it. I play the game."
"I play the game, too," returned Bob, "and I came here to tell you so. I'll take care of myself, but I want to say that the moment you offer any move against Welton, I shall bring in my testimony9 against both of you on this bribery10 matter."
"Sapient12 youth!" said Baker, amused; "did that aspect of it just get to you? But you misinterpreted the spirit of my greeting when you came in the room. In words of one syllable13, you've got us licked. We lie down and roll over. We stick all four paws in the air. We bat our august forehead against the floor. Is that clear?"
"Then you drop this prosecution14 against Welton?"
"Nary prosecution, as far as I am concerned."
"But the Modoc Land case----"
"Take back your lands," chaffed Baker dramatically. "Kind of bum8 lands, anyway. No use skirmishing after the battle is over. Your father would tell you that."
"Then you don't fight the suit?"
"That," said Baker, "is still a point for compromise. You've got us, I'm willing to admit that. Also that you are a bright young man, and that I underestimated you. You've lifted my property, legally acquired, and you've done it by outplaying my bluff15. I still maintain the points of the law are with me--we won't get into that," he checked himself. "But criminal prosecution is a different matter. I don't intend to stand for that a minute. Your gang don't slow-step me to any bastiles now listed in the prison records. Nothing doing that way. I'll fight her to a fare-ye-well on that." His round face seemed to become square-set and grim for an instant, but immediately reassumed its customary rather careless good-nature. "No, we'll just call the whole business off."
"That is not for me to decide," said Bob.
"No; but you've got a lot to say about it--and I'll see to the little details; don't fret16. By the way," mentioned Baker, "just as a matter of ordinary curiosity, _did_ Oldham have anything on you, or was he just a strong-arm artist?" He threw back his head and laughed aloud at Bob's face. At the thought of Pollock the young man could not prevent a momentary17 expression of relief from crossing his countenance18. "There's a tail-holt on all of us," Baker observed.
He flipped19 open a desk drawer and produced a box of expensive-looking cigars which he offered to his visitors. Orde lit one; but Bob, eyeing the power-man coldly, refused. Baker laughed.
"You'll get over it," he observed--"youth, I mean. Don't mix your business and your personal affairs. That came right out of the copy book, page one, but it's true. I'm the one that ought to feel sore, seems to me." He lit his own cigar, and puffed20 at it, swinging his bulky form to the edge of the desk. "Look here," said he, shaking the butt21 at the younger man. "You're making a great mistake. The future of this country is with water, and don't you forget it. Fuel is scarce; water power is the coming force. The country can produce like a garden under irrigation; and it's only been scratched yet, and that just about the big cities. We are getting control; and the future of the state is with us. You're wasting yourself in all this toy work. You've got too much ability to squander22 it in that sort of thing. Oldham made you an offer from us, didn't he?"
"He tried to bribe11 me, if that's what you mean," said Bob.
"Well, have it your way; but you'll admit there's hardly much use of bribing23 you now. I repeat the offer. Come in with us on those terms."
"Why?" demanded Bob.
"Well," said Baker quaintly24, "because you seem to have licked me fair and square; and I never want a man who can lick me to remain where he is likely to do so."
At this point Orde, who had up to now remained quietly a spectator, spoke25 up.
"Bob," said he, "is already fairly intimately connected with certain interests, which, while not so large as water power, are enough to keep him busy."
Baker turned to him joyously26.
"List' to the voice of reason!" he cried. "I'm sorry he won't come with us; but the next best thing is to put him where he won't fight us. I didn't know he was going back to your timber--"
Bob opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again at a gesture from his father.
Baker glanced at the clock.
"Well," he remarked cheerfully, "come over to the Club with me to lunch, anyway."
Bob stared at him incredulously. Here was the man who had employed against him every expedient27 from blackmail28 to physical violence; who had but that instant been worsted in a bald attempt at larceny29, nevertheless, cheerfully inviting30 him out to lunch as though nothing had happened! Furthermore, his father, against whose ambitions one of the deadliest blows had been aimed, was quietly reaching for his hat. Baker looked up and caught Bob's expression.
"Come, come!" said he; "forget it! You and I speak the language of the same tribe, and you can't get away from it. I'm playing my game, you're playing yours. Of course, we want to win. But what's the use of cutting out lots of bully31 good people on that account?"
"You don't stick to the rules," insisted Bob stoutly32.
"I think I do," said Baker. "Who's to decide? You believe one way, I believe another. I know what you think of my methods in business; and I'd hate to say what I think of you as the blue ribbon damn fool in that respect. But I like you, and I'm willing to admit you've got stuff in you; and I know damn well you and your father and I can have a fine young lunch talking duck-shooting and football. And with all my faults you love me still, and you know you do." He smiled winningly, and hooked his arm through Bob's on one side and his father's on the other. "Come on, you old deacon; play the game!" he cried.
Bob laughed, and gave in.
收听单词发音 |
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baker
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| n.面包师 | |
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joviality
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| n.快活 | |
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levity
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| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
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thump
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| v.重击，砰然地响；n.重击，重击声 | |
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contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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bum
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| n.臀部；流浪汉，乞丐；vt.乞求，乞讨 | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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bribery
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| n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿 | |
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bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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sapient
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| adj.有见识的，有智慧的 | |
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syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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prosecution
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| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
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bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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fret
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| v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损 | |
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momentary
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| adj.片刻的，瞬息的；短暂的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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flipped
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| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
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puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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squander
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| v.浪费，挥霍 | |
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bribing
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| 贿赂 | |
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quaintly
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| adv.古怪离奇地 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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joyously
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| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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larceny
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| n.盗窃（罪） | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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