His lips began to
smile. He could not have been aware of the tigerish ferocity of his
eyes.

"I should like to make a bargain with you, Mr. Rivington," he said.

Rivington, his hands in his pockets, looked him over with a cool
appraising eye. He said nothing at all.

"This girl," said Dinghra, his voice suddenly very soft and persuasive,
"she is worth a good deal to you--doubtless?"

"Doubtless," said Rivington.

"She is worth--what?"

Rivington stared uncomprehendingly.

With a slight, contemptuous gesture the Indian proceeded to explain.

"She is worth a good deal to me too--more than you would think. Her
mother also desires a marriage between us. I am asking you, Mr.
Rivington, to give her up, and to--name your price."

"The devil you are!" said Rivington; but he said it without violence. He
still sat motionless, his hands in his pockets, surveying his visitor.

"I am rich," Dinghra said, still in those purring accents. "I am
prepared to make you a wealthy man for the rest of your life. You will
be able to marry, if you desire to do so, and live in ease and luxury.
Come, Mr. Rivington, what do you say to it? You detest poverty. Now is
your chance, then. You need never be poor again."

"You're uncommonly generous," said Rivington. "But is the lady to have
no say in the matter? Or has she already spoken?"

Dinghra looked supremely contemptuous.

"The matter is entirely between you and me," he said.

"Oh!" Rivington became reflective.

The Indian crossed his arms and waited.

"Well," Rivington said at length, "I will name my price, since you
desire it, but I warn you it's a fairly stiff one. You won't like it."

"Speak!" said Dinghra eagerly. His eyes literally blazed at the
Englishman's imperturbable face.

Slowly Rivington took his hands from his pockets. Slowly he rose. For a
moment he seemed to tower almost threateningly over the lesser man, then
carelessly he suffered his limbs to relax.

"The price," he said, "is that you come to me every day for a fortnight
for as sound a licking as I am in a condition to administer. I will
release Miss Ernestine Cardwell for that, and that alone." He paused.
"And I think at the end of my treatment that you will stand a
considerably better chance of winning her favour than you do at
present," he added, faintly smiling.

An awful silence followed his words. Dinghra stood as though transfixed
for the space of twenty seconds. Then, without word or warning of