“Well, they’ll have to come out in court anyway,” the other reminded him, and then reverted to the money. “Twenty thousand dollars!” he repeated. “It seems to mean a whole lot to you—or somebody—to get this through, eh?”
“It does,” Denby returned, “and it’s a big lot of money; but I’d rather pay that than sample your winter climate down south—see?” He looked at him still with that air of confidence as though he expected Taylor to comprehend his motives.
“Say, what are you trying to do?” Taylor said sharply; “bribe me?”
“What an imagination you have!” Denby said in astonishment. “Why, you couldn’t be bribed, Mr. Taylor!”
“You bet your life I couldn’t,” the deputy-surveyor returned.
Denby sighed. “What a pity I didn’t meet a business man instead of you.”
Taylor’s sharp eyes looked at the speaker steadily.
“You couldn’t square it even with a business man for twenty thousand dollars.”
Denby met his shrewd gaze without lowering his eyes.
“If I’d met the right kind of business man,” he declared, “I shouldn’t have offered twenty thousand dollars,” he said meaningly; “I’d have offered him all I’ve got—and that’s thirty thousand dollars.”