u feel that you could make shift with
another fine woman and might tear yourself away from Milly Bassett for a
bit in the bank--_if_ you feel that, William, and only so, then we can go
on talking."

William White laughed and ate a bit of pie that hung on his fork. Then he
drank from his cider runlet. "What a world!" he said.

Jonas didn't answer and let his great thought sink into the man.

Presently William put a nice point. "Needless to ask if you've whispered
any of this to her?"

"God's my judge, Bill."

"Well, there's one thing I'd put afore you, Jo. Suppose we can agree to a
price, what happens if, when your turn comes to offer, she turns you down
and we're both left?"

"A natural question, Bill, and I'd thought of it, for there's no vanity in
me and it might very likely happen. And my understanding of that position
is this: If she says 'No' to me, after you've given her her liberty, then
I've made a bad investment and my feeling would be to cut a loss; but if
on the other hand she says 'Yes,' then I'd go a bit higher."

"A sum down when I've chucked her, and a bit over if you get her."

"When you say a sum down, Bill, you'd better consider of it," explained
Jonas. "A sum down there will certainly be; but if you saw your way to
take the money by instalments, then you'd benefit considerable in the
upshot, because, by instalments, I could pay a good bit more than I could
in a lump."

"I see that," admitted the horseman. "Well, on the general questions, Jo,
I may say that I'll do business. That far I'm prepared to go; but when it
comes to figures, I'd very much like to hear your ideas. This is a bit out
of my experience; but I warn you, you've got to pay money."

"I know that," answered Jonas. "I know that very well indeed. I can't pay
half nor yet a quarter of what she'd be worth to me, for the reason a
king's ransom wouldn't do it; but money I will pay. I'll pay you a hundred
a year for four years, William."

"And interest while 'tis running?" asked the horseman.

"Yes," answered Jonas, "interest while 'tis running."

"That's if you don't get her?"

"No, Bill; that's if I do get her."

White considered. 'Twas very big money, of course, but he tried for a bit
more.

"You must remember that when I throw her over I'm a disgraced man, Jo."

"I wouldn't say that. 'Twill be a shadow on your name for a minute, but
such things fall out every day and be very quickly forgot. Milly's the
only one that mat