“You⁠—you are in⁠—you are in control now,” he said. “You could give⁠—hey? You could give me⁠—just a little⁠—just one word. A word would be enough, hey? hey? Just a little tip. My God, I could make fifty dollars by noon.”

“Why, man, I’ve just given you about half a million.”

“Half a million? I don’t know. But”⁠—he plucked Jadwin tremulously by the sleeve⁠—“just a word,” he begged. “Hey, just yes or no.”

“Haven’t you enough with those two checks?”

“Those checks? Oh, I know, I know, I know I’ll salt ’em down. Yes, in the Illinois Trust. I won’t touch ’em⁠—not those. But just a little tip now, hey?”

“Not a word. Not a word. Take him along, Kinzie.”