“O! that’s absurd.”

The expert tapped his note-book.

“I’ve a commission myself, sir, for forty.”

Gilead hummed and ha’d a little.

“I think it’s preposterous; it’s against all my principles; but—well, I’ll go to forty-five.”

“You’d better leave me a margin—take my advice.”

“No.”

“A pound or two.”

“Not a copper farthing.”

“You’ll lose it.”