“What parties?”
“Do you suppose I will tell you that, sir?” asked Vernon, cunningly.
Mr. Wheeler did not, but he was only filling up the time. He had made up his mind that the man before him was something more than the agent of the thieves, and he now wished to protract the interview till Harry should have had time to return with the two detectives.
“No,” he replied, “I can hardly expect you to answer that question. I should like to ask you, however, whether you have had any conversation with your clients about the sum they would consider sufficient to repay them for their ‘trouble’?”
“Yes, sir; that subject has come up between us.”
“Well?”
“I think, sir, you will have to multiply the reward you offer by ten.”
“Whew!” exclaimed the lawyer, who was not at all surprised, however. “This is a large sum.”
“It is only about one-sixth the market value of the bonds.”
“I don’t think my client would consent to pay so large a sum as that.”