The old man pished and pshawed. "I offered him a steady job," he said, "to go round with me. But his notions are too grand."
"Why, that would be a very suitable arrangement," his son said pompously. "How much do you want?" he asked of Evan.
"Fifty dollars a week."
"That's ridiculous!" young Deaves said loftily. "I'll give you twenty-five."
The scene of down-stairs was continued, with this difference that the son was not so naïve as the father. Evan kept up his end with firmness and good-humour. After all there was some fun in contending with such passionate bargainers, and he saw that for some reason the son was more anxious to get hold of him than the father. They finally compromised on forty dollars a week, provided Evan's references were satisfactory. Simeon Deaves was scandalised.
"It's too much! too much!" he repeated. "It will turn his head completely!"
CHAPTER III
SNOOPING
Young Deaves (his father addressed him as George) passed out through a small door on the left presumably to telephone to Evan's references. His father followed him, still protesting tearfully that the salary he purposed paying Evan would ruin them both. Evan was left standing in the middle of the room. Before he had time to take a further survey of his surroundings the door from the hall was softly opened, and a smug, pale young man in a sober suit sidled into the room, a servant. Evan learned later that "Second man" was his official title. "Spy" was writ large on him. The house seemed to be swarming with them. This fellow had undoubtedly been listening at the door.