Achmed Abdullah

“ Both men were moved by the lust of gold: Graham wanted to buy something which he thought was good, Houghton to sell what he knew to be bad. Added to this was Graham's bitter hatred of Macdonald. Houghton, on the other hand, rather liked Macdonald; still, business was business, and so he felt toward him like an undertaker who is about to plant his best friend in a palatial, two-thousand-dollar, silver-edged, velvet-lined coffin, and the bereft widow ready to hand over the cash. ”

“ Graham waved the proffered money aside with a lordly gesture.
"Nothing," he replied. "I have come here to talk business, Mr. Houghton."
Houghton felt relieved. He let the roll of money drop back into his pocket with a little satisfactory plump. Business, with him, spelt the taking, not the giving of money.
"Gladly! Gladly!" he exclaimed, shaking Graham fervently by the hand. "Proceed! You interest me."
That last statement was perfectly true.
"I would like to acquire an interest in the Western Crown; that is if it's for sale," the Englishman began lamely. ”

“ There's still hope. Meanwhile I'll write to him again. I shall also cable to him. Don't give up the ship. We shall carry this thing through somehow."
He said this with such steely resolve that Hillyer looked at him in surprise. Graham was indeed surprised at himself. For the first time in his life he had decided to do something, to carry it through to the end with single-minded purpose. For the first time in his life he felt energy and diligence fermenting within him. And it was hatred, hatred of Macdonald, which had brought the two qualities to the surface. ”