"Begad you were not. Milesian, sir; Milesian!"
"Ah, Milesian. It's all the same."
"It's nothing of the sort," said the major indignantly.
"I mean it was all the same to my father. He wouldn't know the difference. Well, I told him of your high descent, and that you were a traveller, a soldier, and a man of steady and trustworthy habits."
"Eh?" ejaculated the major involuntarily. "Well, all right. Go on!"
"I told him all this," said Ezra slowly, "and I pointed out to him that the sum of money which he was prepared to lay out would be better expended on such a man than on one who had no virtues beyond those of business."
"I didn't give you credit for so much sinse!" his companion exclaimed with enthusiasm.
"I said to him that if the matter were left entirely in your hands we could rely upon its being done thoroughly. At the same time, we should have the satisfaction of knowing that the substantial sum which we are prepared to pay our agent had come into worthy hands."
"You hit it there again," murmured the veteran.
"You are prepared, then," said Ezra, glancing keenly at him, "to put yourself at our orders on condition that you are well paid for it?"