“I’ll protect Robert Munson with my life.”
“A thousand thanks! And now, as we understand each other, let us go on to my wife, who is anxiously waiting the issue of this interview,” said Lyon Berners, turning and leading the way towards the stables.
“Now, squire, you may rely upon me, and rest easy in your mind. You sha’n’t be followed in less than twenty-four hours,” said the farmer, as they went along.
“Again I thank you from my heart. And now I have something else to say to you,” began Lyon Berners
Then he paused, as finding a real difficulty in saying what he wished; for the truth is, that when Mr. Berners had called Mr. Nye aside for a private interview, he had intended to offer him a heavy bribe to connive at the escape of Sybil.
Now, however, he found the farmer not exactly the sort of man to affront with the proffer of a bribe, or even scarcely of a reward; and yet he was a poor man who evidently needed money, and would probably always need it; for Farmer Nye, as has been shown in his championship of Sybil, was a man of impetuous emotions, hasty judgments, and reckless actions, and was always sure to be in troubles, social, domestic, and pecuniary.
So Mr. Berners, while wishing to reward his services, felt a difficulty as to the manner of doing so.
At length, however, he continued:
“Mr. Nye, I said at the beginning of our talk, that I could tell you something to your advantage.”
“Well, and, bless my soul alive, haven’t you done it? I wonder if I could hear of anything more to my advantage than the chance of helping to resky that lady as I have felt for so much?” warmly inquired the farmer.