Tummas was in a bad temper, for reasons quite sufficient for himself, and he regarded him sourly.
“What has tha coom for?” he demanded. “I did na ask thee.”
“Don't be cheeky!” said Captain Palliser. “I will give you a sovereign if you'll let me see the map you and Mr. Temple Barholm used to look at and talk so much about.”
He laid the sovereign down on the small table by Tummas's sofa, but Tummas did not pick it up.
“I know who tha art. Tha'rt Palliser, an' tha wast th' one as said as him as was killed in th' Klondike had coom back alive.”
“You've been listening to that servants' story, have you?” remarked Palliser. “You had better be careful as to what you say. I suppose you never heard of libel suits. Where would you find yourself if you were called upon to pay Mr. Temple Barholm ten thousand pounds' damages? You'd be obliged to sell your atlas.”
“Burrill towd as he heard thee say tha'd swear in court as it was th' one as was killed as tha'd seen.”
“That's Burrill's story, not mine. And Burrill had better keep his mouth shut,” said Palliser. “If it were true, how would you like it? I've heard you were interested in 'th' one as was killed.'”
Tummas's eyes burned troublously.
“I've got reet down taken wi' th' other un,” he answered. “He's noan gentry, but he's th' reet mak'. I—I dunnot believe as him as was killed has coom back.”