DW01 Dragonspawn Read Online Free PDF Page A

no good,” Bagsby interrupted. “It would take too long. The thieves intend to sell the piece tonight. By the time the magistrate takes action, the piece will be long since gone. Besides, I want my profit, not revenge on these thieves, no matter how sweet that would be. The thing is, you see, they don’t know what they’ve really got. They’re willing to sell it back to me for only four hundred crowns. Of course, that would cut my profit down to sixteen hundred, but sixteen hundred crowns is better than nothing. It would still make the trip worthwhile.”
    “Reynaldo! Come on! We need your money in the game!” Bertrand called.
    Reynaldo hastily looked around the crowded hall, irritation on his face. “A moment, friends. I have important business.” He turned back to Bagsby and began to whisper. “You mean to say, if you had four hundred crowns, you could retrieve this piece, then collect four thousand for it this very night?”
    “Why, yes,” Bagsby replied innocently.
    “And your profit would then be sixteen hundred crowns?”
    “Yes, yes, that’s right. Why? What difference could it possibly make now?”
    “Well,” Reynaldo said, drawing himself upright in his chair. “I will tell you, sir. I will lend you the four hundred crowns in exchange for eight hundred after the transaction is completed.”
    Bagsby let his mouth drop open. He hoped his pupils widened to register genuine shock. “You would lend me the funds?”
    “In exchange for eight hundred, tonight, when the deal is done,” Reynaldo affirmed, his head bobbing up and down eagerly.
    “Well,” Bagsby said thoughtfully, “I don’t know. I am not in the habit of borrowing from men I hardly know. And the cut in my profits is most severe.”
    “A profit of eight hundred crowns is better than no profit at all. And I am not in the habit of lending to men I hardly know. The high return is fair, considering the risk I’m taking.”
    “Yes, yes,” Bagsby quickly agreed. Anything to get the mark’s mind off his risk. “But I need to think about this. And there is time to consider. You surely don’t have such funds on your person.”
    “I will meet you within the hour in that alley, and we shall confront this band of thieves together,” Reynaldo said eagerly.
    “No, no, no!” Bagsby stood up in alarm. He glanced quickly around the room, catching himself, then sat down again and leaned to whisper to Reynaldo. “You cannot take such risk to your person. These thieves know they already have all that is mine; there is no profit for them in harming or holding me. But you, sir, that is another matter. Surely you don’t want to risk being kidnapped.”
    “Gad, that is thoughtful of you,” Reynaldo said, sudden revelation and relief showing on his eager young face. “You’re right. I’ll bring the money here, and you will return here when the transaction is done.”
    “Well...” Bagsby shook his head.
    “Sir,” Reynaldo said, standing and extending his hand, “I insist. It is the least the business community of Clairton can do to extend its welcome to a fellow businessman and to show solidarity against these scoundrels who would rob us all blind.”
    Bagsby reluctantly stood. He pursed his lips, looked at the floor, then swung his concerned gaze around the room. Finally he let his eyes meet Reynaldo’s and stared into them intently for several seconds. “All right,” he finally said, taking Reynaldo’s extended hand. “I guess I can trust you.”
    “You won’t regret this,” Reynaldo said, stepping eagerly away toward the door. “Wait here. I’ll be back shortly.” The youth practically ran from the gambling house into the night, visions of a four-hundred-crown profit dancing in his head, his mind’s eye already picturing the new clothes that would surely win the heart of his beloved.
    In the far dark corner of the hall, Shulana nodded her head. The council must have been right. For all his faults, this Bagsby would steal from