"Yes; he very coolly proposed that I should lend him that sum, enable him to carry on some lead-mining operations in the west."
"Preposterous!"
"So I told him."
"Well, what did he say?"
"Oh, he blustered, and made covert threats of exposure, of course."
"The scoundrel!" said Grind, fiercely.
"He's a villain double-dyed. I have never ceased to regret that we brought him into this business. We should have had a man of better spirit—of a nicer sense of honour."
"Yes, Mr. Jasper, that is true enough," replied Grind; "but the mischief is, your men of nicer honour are too squeamish for the kind of work in which we employed him. This is the defect in all such operations. Men cannot be thoroughly trusted."
The merchant sighed. He felt too deeply the force of Grind's remark.
"You know," said he, "this Martin better than I do. What is his character? Is he a mere blusterer, whose bark is worse than his bite; or is he vindictive and unscrupulous?"