Jaques brought them chairs and laid a few cigars on the table.
“Now,” he said to Bethune, “you can go ahead.”
“First of all, I want your promise to keep what I tell you to yourself.” Bethune glanced quietly toward the woman.
“You have it, and you can trust Mrs. Jaques. Susie does all her talking at home; and there’s a good deal of her own money in this store. That’s why I brought you in. I allow she’s sometimes a better judge than I am.”
Bethune bowed to Mrs. Jaques; and then, to Jimmy’s surprise, he began a frank account of their financial difficulties and their salvage plans. When it came to their doings at the wreck, he made a rather moving tale of it, and Mrs. Jaques listened with her eyes fixed on the speaker and a greasy fork poised in her hand. Jimmy wondered whether Bethune was acting quite judiciously in telling so much. The storekeeper leaned an elbow on the table, his brows knitted as if in thought; and Moran sat still with an expressionless brown face. Except for Bethune’s voice it was very quiet in the small, rudely furnished room, and Jimmy surmised that the projected deal was of some importance to its occupants. It was certainly of consequence to his own party, for they could not continue operations without supplies.
“There’s a bond on your boat already,” Jaques objected, when Bethune paused.
“For about half her value. We could demand a public sale if she were seized, and the balance would clear your debt.”
“It’s hard to get full price for a vessel that’s too small for a regular trade. You allowed you bought her cheap?”
“We did,” Bethune carelessly answered. “Still, one has to take a risk.”
They were interrupted by a knocking, and Jaques went into the store and did not return for some minutes.
“Nolan, the river-jack,” he explained, as he came in. “Wanted gum-boots, and I thought I’d better let him have them; though he hasn’t paid for the last pair yet.”
“That,” Bethune smiled, “bears out my argument.”
Jaques looked at his wife, and she made a sign of assent, as if she understood him.
“Supper’s nearly ready, and you had better stay,” he said. “It’s plain fare, but you won’t find better biscuits and waffles than Susie’s in the province. Besides, it will give us time to think the thing over.”
They were glad to accept the invitation, and no more was said about business while they enjoyed the well cooked and daintily served meal. Jimmy was conscious of a growing admiration for his neat-handed hostess, with her bright, intelligent face, and her pretty but simple dress, and he tried to second Bethune in his amusing chatter. Jaques did not say much, but he looked pleased. As for Moran, he steadily worked his way through the good things set before him. His one remark was: “If we strike grub like this, ma’am, we’ll want to stop right in your town.”
“Then my husband will lose his order,” Mrs. Jaques replied, and though she laughed, Jimmy thought her answer had some significance.
When she cleared the table Jaques lighted a cigar and smiled rather grimly when Jimmy inquired if trade was good.
“Well,” he said, “it might be better – that’s one reason why I’d like to make a deal with you. There’s less money in keeping store than you might suppose. I’ve been two years in this town, and my customers are mostly of the kind the beginner gets – those who can’t pay up in time, and those who don’t mean to pay at all. The ones worth having go to the other man.”
“Where were you before?” Jimmy asked.
“In Toronto. But the wages I was making in a department store were not enough to marry on. With a few dollars Susie had left her and with what I’d saved we thought we might make a start; but there’s not much room for the small man now in the eastern cities, and we came out West. It’s a pull all along; but we’d make some progress if the blame bush settlers would pay their bills.”
Jimmy felt sympathetic. The man did not look as if he found the struggle easy.
“Have you got your business fixed?” Mrs. Jaques asked, coming in from an adjoining room.
“Not yet,” Bethune answered. “I’ve a suspicion that your husband was waiting for you; and I couldn’t object, because I ventured to believe you would say a word in our favor.”
Mrs. Jaques studied him keenly. He was a handsome man, with graceful manners, and she thought him honest; and it was difficult to associate duplicity with Jimmy’s open face.
“Well,” she promised, “I’ll go as far as I can.”
“Then we’ll get down to business.” Jaques turned to his guests. “You feel pretty sure you’ll find the gold when you get back?”
“No,” said Jimmy frankly. “We hope so; but we can’t even be sure we’ll find the wreck. The gale may have broken her up and buried her in the sand.”
“Then, if your plan falls through, I won’t get paid.”
“That’s taking too much for granted. There’ll be something left over if we have to sell the boat, and we’re able to earn more than our keep on the wharf or in the mills. Your debt would have the first claim on us.”
“It would take you a long time to wipe it off on what you’d save out of two dollars a day.”
“Very true,” Bethune admitted. “To clear the ground, I suppose you believe we’d try?”
“We’ll take it that you mean to deal straight with me. Anyway, you believe you have a pretty good chance of getting at the gold?”
“I think it’s a fair business risk. In proof of this, we’re going back to do our best if you will give us the supplies we want. We wouldn’t be willing to incur the liability unless we had some hope of success.”
“Very well; you don’t suggest my letting you have the truck and taking a partner’s share on the strength of it?”
“No,” Bethune answered decidedly; “not unless you press the point.”
Mrs. Jaques nodded as if she had approved of the question and found the answer reassuring. It implied that the adventurers thought the scheme good enough to keep to themselves.
“I’d rather my husband stuck to his regular line,” she said.
“Then,” said Bethune, “this is my proposition: Give us the goods, and charge us ten per cent. interest until they’re paid for. You’ll get it as well as the principal, sooner or later.”
Jaques looked at his wife; and she made a sign of assent.
“Well, it’s a deal!”
A half-hour later, when they rose to go, Jimmy turned to his hostess.
“While your husband has treated us fairly,” he said, “we have to thank you, and that makes it a point of honor to show you were not mistaken.”
He noticed now that there were wrinkles which suggested anxious thought already forming about her eyes, and that her hands were work-hardened; but she smiled at him.
“One learns in keeping store that a customer’s character is quite as important as his bank account.”
“That’s the nicest thing I’ve had said about me since I came to British Columbia!” Bethune declared gaily.
Mrs. Jaques smiled.
“If you find the evenings dull before you sail, come in and talk to us,” she said.
When they went outside, Bethune made a confession.
“I felt strongly tempted to take our custom somewhere else. They’re nice people,