There was no writing on it, but it was crowded thick
with figures, as if the maker of the numerals had been doing some problem
in mathematics. The chief thing that interested him was that wherever
monetary symbols were used it was the "pound" and not the "dollar" sign.
The totals of certain columns were rather startling.
"Guess she's a millionaire if that's her own money she's been figgering,"
said Stevens. "Notice that figger there!" He pointed with a stubby
forefinger. "Pretty near a billion, ain't it?"
"Seven hundred and fifty thousand," said Aldous.
He was thinking of the "pound" sign. She had not looked like the
Englishwomen he had met. He folded the slip of paper and put it in his
pocket.
Stevens eyed him seriously.
"I was coming over to give you a bit of advice before I left for the
Maligne Lake country," he said. "You'd better move. Quade won't want you
around after this. Besides----"
"What?"
"My kid heard something," continued the packer, edging nearer. "You was
mighty good to the kid when I was down an' out, Aldous. I ought to tell
you. It wasn't an hour ago the kid was behind the tent an' he heard Quade
and Slim Barker talking.
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