in. You're going to
croak this guy, and I'm the man to do it? Do I get you?"

"That is what I desire," said Boolba, and Bim shook his head.

"It can't be done," he said. "I'm over here for a quiet, peaceful life,
and anyway, I've got nothing on this fellow. I'm not over here to get my
picture in the papers. It's a new land to me--why, if you put me in
Piccadilly Circus I shouldn't know which way to turn to get out of it!
Anyway, that strong arm stuff is out so far as I'm concerned."

"What does he say?" said Boolba again, and again Yakoff translated.

"I thought you were what you call a gun-man," said Boolba with a curl of
his lip. "I did not expect you to be frightened."

"There's gun-men and gun-men," said Cherry Bim, unperturbed by the
patent sarcasm. "And then there's me. I never drew a gun on a man in my
life that didn't ask for it, or in the way of business. No, sirree. You
can't hire Cherry Bim to do a low, vulgar murder."

His tone was uncompromising and definite. Boolba realized that he could
not pursue his argument with any profit to himself, and that if he were
to bring this unwilling agent to his way of thinking a new line would
have to be taken.

"You will not be asked to take a risk for nothing," he said. "I am
authorized to pay you twenty thousand roubles, that is, two thousand
pounds in your money----"

"Not mine," interrupted Bim. "It's ten thousand dollars you're trying to
say. Well, even that doesn't tempt me. It's not my game, anyway," he
said, pulling up a chair and sitting down in the most friendly manner.
"And don't think you're being original when you offer me this
commission. I've had it offered me before in New York City, and I've
always turned it down, though I know my way to safety blindfolded.
That's all there is to it, gentlemen--and ladies," he added.

"So you refuse?" Neither Boolba's voice nor his manner was pleasant.

"That's about the size of it," said Cherry Bim, rising. "I'm a grafter,
I admit it. There ain't hardly anything I wouldn't do from smashing a
bank downwards, to turn a dishonest penny. But, gents, I'm short of the
necessary nerve, inclination, lack of morals, and general ungodliness,
to take on murder in the first, second, or third degree."

"You have courage, my friend," said Boolba significantly. "You do not
suppose we should take you into our confidence and let you go away
again so easily?"

Mr. Bim's smile became broader.

"Gents, I won't deceive you," h