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 matters and I don’t think you’re the best partner in the world for her, else I’d never have touched the subject.  But if you use your cleverness and put it to her that ’tis undignified for you both to go on waiting for ever, she’ll very likely see it.”

“She might, or again she mightn’t.”

“She would,” declared Jonas.  “I ain’t watched you and her for a year for nothing.  This ain’t going to be the shattering wrench for her you might think, William.”

White knew that very well, but dwelt on his own downfall, and loss.  “Make it five hundred—­win or lose,” he said at last, “and I’ll oblige you.”