Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/269

Rh "That's why I don't want any violence. I don't want any knocking on the head or burning with kerosene. I merely want him kept away from the office and not allowed to write or wire between March the 1st and March the 10th."

"Um," said Chelnbai gloomily. "That will be more expensive. It's so much easier and so much less dangerous to remove a man outright than to kidnap him. We could do that for £3,000."

Honest John Driver's face fell. "Is it really more dangerous?" he said in a vexed tone. "I should have thought it would have been safer."

"Oh, no, it isn't. We lay ourselves open to an action for false imprisonment or something of the kind."

Honest John Driver sighed heavily, and said, "Well, how much can you do it for?"

Chelubai seemed to consider; then he said, "Four thousand."

"Four thousand! And it's only three thousand to have him removed outright! A difference of a thousand pounds! Well"—he sighed heavily again—"I will go further than most men in the way of friendship; but business is business, and a thousand pound is a thousand pound. After all what is friendship but a name?"

"That's so," said Chelubai.

"No one could expect me to throw away money like that—just for a fancy—could they?"