“You’re short a million and a half, then,” he repeated. “I’ll let you have six hundred thousand of it at a dollar and a half a bushel.”

“A dollar and a half! Why, my God, man! Oh well”⁠—Scannel spread out his hands nonchalantly⁠—“I shall simply go into bankruptcy⁠—just as you said.”

“Oh, no, you won’t,” replied Jadwin, pushing back and crossing his legs. “I’ve had your financial standing computed very carefully, Mr. Scannel. You’ve got the ready money. I know what you can stand without busting, to the fraction of a cent.”

“Why, it’s ridiculous. That handful of wheat will cost me three hundred thousand dollars.”

“Precisely.”

And then all at once Scannel surrendered. Stony, imperturbable, he drew his check book from his pocket.

“Make it payable to bearer,” said Jadwin.