Then, he turned to the slim cash-books, which he glanced at
casually. The journals he set aside without opening. He handled the
books with a sort of skill showing that he knew how to lift them with
the least exertion, how to open them and close them and turn their
stiff pages. The enormous mass of figures did not seem to appal him;
the maze was straight enough beneath such skillful eyes. Finally, he
turned to a small locked ledger, of which the key was attached to
Roden's watch-chain, who came forward and unlocked the book. Mr. Wade
turned to the index at the beginning of the volume, found a certain
account, and opened the book there. At the sight of the figures he
raised his eyebrow and glanced up at Roden.
"Whew!" he exclaimed, beneath his breath. He had arrived at his
destination--had torn the heart out of these great books. All in the
room were watching his placid, shrewd old face. He studied the books
for some time and then took a sheet of blank paper from a number of
such attached by a string to a corner of the table. He reflected for
some minutes, pushing the movable part of his gold pencil in and out
pensively as he did so. Then he wrote a number of figures on the sheet
of paper and handed it to Cornish. He closed the locked ledger with a
snap. The audit of the malgamite books was over.
"It is a wonderful piece of single-handed bookkeeping," he said to
Roden.
Cornish was studying the paper set before him by the banker.
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