"You're a pretty smart man, Mr. Taylor," Denby admitted, "and I think these belong to you." He held out the money.
"Yes, I think they do," Taylor said eagerly, reaching out for the bills.
"Wait a minute!" Denby cried, holding the money back. "How do I know you won't take it and then double-cross me?"
"I'll give you my word for it," Taylor assured him fervently.
"That security isn't good enough," Denby remarked slowly. "We haven't done business together before, and those two men of yours--are they in on it?"
"Not on your life," Taylor laughed. "I haven't split with anybody for five years. This is a one man job, Mr. Denby."
"That may be," the other protested, "but they saw you pinch me!"
"I'll tell them it was all a mistake and I've got to call it off. I know the kind of help I want when I'm tackling a one man job."
"Do you think you can get away with it?" Denby asked doubtfully.
"I always have," Taylor said simply. "There's no need for you to get scared."
Denby still seemed perturbed. "I've been hearing a lot about this R. J.," he told the official. "I don't like what I've heard either. Is he suspicious about you by any chance?"
"What do you know about R. J.?" Taylor asked quickly.
"Some friends of mine--business men--in London, tipped me off about him. They said he's been investigating the bribery rumors in the Customs."
"Don't you worry about him, my boy," Taylor said with a reassuring air, "I'm the guy on this job."
"That's all well enough," Denby said, "but I don't want to give up thirty thousand and then get pinched as well. I've got to think about myself."
Taylor leaned across eagerly. "Say, if that R. J. has scared you into thinking he'll ball things up, I don't mind admitting--in strict confidence--who he is."
"So you know?" Denby retorted. "Who is he? I want to be on my guard."
"Well, he isn't a thousand miles from here."
Taylor tapped himself upon the chest with an air of importance. "Get me?"
"Why, R. J. is supposed to be death on grafters and you're one yourself."
"I'm a business man," Taylor said with a wink. "I'm not a grafter--I should worry about the Government."
"Well I guess I'll take a chance," Denby said, after a momentary pause.
"That's the idea," Taylor cried cheerfully.