The restaurant into which for the first time Ashton had penetrated, and
in which he felt ill at ease, was to Ford, he observed, a matter of
course. Evidently for Ford it held no terrors. He criticised the
service, patronized the head waiters, and grumbled at the food; and
when, on leaving the restaurant, an Englishman and his wife stopped at
their table to greet him, he accepted their welcome to London without
embarrassment.
Ashton, rolling his cigar between his lips, observed the incident with
increasing bewilderment.
"You've got some swell friends," he growled. "I'll bet you never met
_them_ at Healey's!"
"I meet all kinds of people in my business," said Ford. "I once sold
that man some mining stock, and the joke of it was," he added, smiling
knowingly, "it turned out to be good."
Ashton decided that the psychological moment had arrived.
"What _is_ your business?" he asked.
"I'm a company promoter," said Ford easily. "I thought I told you."
"I did not tell you that I was a company promoter, too, did I?" demanded
Ashton.
"No," answered Ford, with apparent surprise. "Are you? That's funny.
Pages:
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175