"You realize, of course, this makes quite a difference?" I looked at him.
"Without trying to stand on a technicality, Mr. Moroni, I thought the loan was being made to the Cord Explosives Company, not to either my father or me."
Moroni smiled.
"A good banker makes loans to companies but he always looks at the man behind the company."
"My experience is limited, sir, but I thought the first objective of a good banker was to achieve adequate collateralization for a loan.
I believe that was inherent in the loan agreement that Mr. McAllister made with you."
Moroni smiled. He leaned back in his chair and took out a cigar.
He lit it and looked at me through a cloud of smoke.
"Mr. Cord, tell me what you believe the primary responsibility of the borrower is."
I looked at him. "To make a profit on his loan."
"I said the borrower, Mr. Cord, not the lender."
"I know you did, Mr. Moroni," I said.
"But if I didn't feel I would make a profit on the money you're going to lend me, there'd be no point in my taking it."
"Just how do you expect to make that profit?" he asked. "How well do you know your business, Mr. Cord?"
"Not as well as I should, Mr. Moroni.
Certainly not as well as I will next week, next month, next year. But this much I do know.
Tomorrow is coming and a whole new world with it.
There'll be opportunities to make money that never existed in my father's time.
And I'll take advantage of them."
"I presume you're referring to this new product you're acquiring by the German contract?"
"That's part of it," I said, even if I hadn't thought of it until he mentioned it.
"Just how much do you know about plastics?" he asked.
"Very little," I admitted.
"Then what makes you so sure it's worth anything?"
"Du Pont and Eastman's interest in the American rights.
Anything they're interested in has to be worth something.
And, your agreement to lend us the money to acquire those rights.
As soon as I clear up a few things here, I intend to spend two or three months in Germany learning everything there is to know about plastics."
"Who will run the company while you're away?" Moroni asked.
"A great deal can happen in three months."
"Mr. McAllister, sir," I said. "He's already agreed to join the company."
A kind of respect came into the banker's face.
"I know my directors may not agree with me, Mr. Cord, but I've decided to give you your loan.
It has certain elements of speculation that may not conform to what they consider sound banking practices, but the Pioneer National Trust Company was built on loans like this.
We were the first bank to lend money to the producers of motion pictures and there's nothing quite as speculative as that."
"Thank you, Mr. Moroni," I said.
He picked up the telephone on his desk.
"Bring in the Cord loan agreement and the check."
"You will note," he said, "that although the loan is for three hundred thousand dollars, we have extended your credit under this agreement to a maximum of five hundred thousand dollars." He smiled at me.
"One of my principles of banking, Mr. Cord. I don't believe in budgeting my clients too closely.
Sometimes a few dollars more make the difference between success and failure."
Suddenly I liked this man.
It takes one crap-shooter to recognize another. And this man had it.
I smiled at him.
"Thanks, Mr. Moroni. Let's hope I make a lot of money for both of us."
I leaned over and signed the loan application.
"I'm sure you will," Moroni said and pushed the check across the desk at me.
I picked it up and gave it to McAllister without looking at it.
I got to my feet.
"Thank you again, Mr. Moroni.