“You’d know about them, of course.”
“Yes; I know all about them. And when I tell you what I think it’s worth I suppose you will laugh the way they always laugh and raise the ante. So you will tell me what it’s worth to you and give me the chance to laugh.”
I suddenly didn’t want to go on with this. Maybe my head was aching too badly; maybe, even, I found her so attractive I didn’t want her to think me a heel.
“All right, let’s skip it,” I said. “I was kidding. I can’t be bought. Maybe I could be persuaded. What makes you think I’m stirring up trouble? State your case. If it’s any good I might take my spade and go dig elsewhere.”
She regarded me for perhaps ten seconds, thoughtfully, silently and a little doubtfully.
“You shouldn’t kid about those things,” she said seriously. “You might get yourself disliked. I wouldn’t like to dislike you unless I had a reason.”
I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes.
“That’s fine. Are you just talking to gain time or do you mean that?”
“I was told you had the manners of a hog and a way with women. The hog part is right.”
I opened my eyes to leer at her.