“You interrupt me again,” he declared, “and you’ll go out of that door a bankrupt. You listen to me and take my orders. That’s what you’re here today for. If you think you can get your wheat somewheres else, suppose you try.”

Scannel sullenly settled himself in his place. He did not answer. Hargus, his eye wandering again, looked distressfully from one to the other. Then Jadwin, after shuffling among the papers of his desk, fixed a certain memorandum with his glance. All at once, whirling about and facing the other, he said quickly:

“You are short to our firm two million bushels at a dollar a bushel.”

“Nothing of the sort,” cried the other. “It’s a million and a half.”

Jadwin could not forbear a twinkle of grim humour as he saw how easily Scannel had fallen into the trap.