4
Gray turned to the buckboard and began to hand down his suitcases. The last of them was on the ground before he spoke.
“I’m afraid we can’t do business,” he said without expression. “I am here on a matter of scientific interest. I want to study their dialect. By the way, have you had any news from Bendale this morning?”
The foreigner shook his head impatiently.
“News? No. But if I make it ten thousand——”
“I’m afraid not,” said Gray pleasantly. “I’m not in a money-making business. My friend Cunningham may be willing to take you up.”
But Cunningham tossed his own suit-cases down.
“No,” he said contentedly. “I came here for fun. For adventure, if you choose to put it that way. And anything I’m offered so much to stay out of must be too much fun to miss.”
The foreigner gnawed at his fingertips as they started for the hotel.
“Wait a moment,” he said urgently. “Perhaps we can still come to some agreement. You wish to study dialect? You wish to find adventure? We may still work together.”