"It depends," replied Thorne, "on what I'm expected to do and whom they're coming from."
"I'm anxious to get hold of somebody who'll drive me to the settlement. This horse is played out."
"In that case I'm not open. I'm too busy."
"I'll give you your own price for your time. It will probably pay you better than—selling mirrors."
Thorne noticed the half-contemptuous stress upon the last words.
"You should have been content with the reason I offered," he retorted. "As you were not, I'll give you another; I'm not a very particular person, but I shouldn't like to touch your money."
Nevis stood up with a laugh of half-veiled malevolence.
"Do you think that kind of thing is wise?"
"I haven't troubled to ask myself the question. I've never been remarkably prudent, and when I saw that you meant to hold me up my first impulse was to drive smash into your buggy. It was only out of regard for the horses that I didn't do so."
"Is there any particular reason for this gratuitous insolence?"