Nevis laughed good-humoredly.
"You can put that question to your husband or Thorne. I'm willing to confess that in these affairs I'm out for business pure and simple, though that doesn't prevent my taking an interest in my friends' difficulties now and then." He tapped the bills with his fingers. "You are at present short of three hundred dollars?"
"I'm short of nine hundred," corrected Florence with candor.
The next question was difficult. In fact, it was one that could not well be put directly, and the man's voice became judiciously sympathetic.
"Wheat sold badly last fall, and Elcot has, no doubt, his share of worries?" he suggested. "You naturally wouldn't like to add to them?"
They looked at each other and Florence was quite aware that he would go a little farther as soon as he had ascertained whether she had any intention of mentioning the deficit to her husband. She also recognized that the fact that she had drawn his attention to the bills would make this seem improbable.
"I'm not sure that I'm so unselfish," she said with a laugh. "In any case, I'm independent; I don't care to bother other people with my troubles."
The man leaned forward, looking at her as though begging a favor.
"I suppose it hasn't occurred to you that such a course might be a little rough on some of them. Do you never make an exception?"
"I haven't done so yet."