"Just like a woman! You're willing to let me sacrifice all my engagements and inclinations to start off on a wild-goose chase for you, while you give nothing in return——"
"But I would!" I cut in.
"What would you give?"
"What do you want?"
"Yourself, of course."
"Oh!"
"If you'll marry me in case I find out that someone's been playing a devil's trick on Lorillard," said Jim, "I'll do—my damnedest! How's that?"
I shrugged my shoulders, and looked debonair; which was easy, as my nose is that shape. Yet my heart pounded.
"You seem to think the sacrifice of your engagements and inclinations worth a big price!"
"I know it's a big price," he granted. "But every man has his price. That happens to be mine. You may not have to pay, however, even in the event of my success. Because, in the course of my operations I may do something that'll land me in quod. In that case, you're free. I wouldn't mate you with a gaol bird."