Honoria was in no way repelled by the aspect of this man. She saw that he was clever; and fancied him the kind of person who would be likely to serve her faithfully. "I have been informed that you are skilled in the prosecution of secret investigations," she said; "and I wish to secure your services immediately. Are you at liberty to devote yourself to the task I wish to be performed by you?" Mr. Larkspur was a man who rarely answered even the simplest question until he had turned the subject over in his mind, and carefully studied every word that had been said to him. He was a man who made caution the ruling principle of his life, and he looked at every creature he encountered in the course of his career as an individual more or less likely to take him in. The boast of Mr. Larkspur was, that he never had been taken in. "I've been very near it more than once," he said to his particular friends, when he unbent so far as to be confidential. "I've had some very narrow escapes of being taken in and done for as neatly as you please. There are some artful dodgers, whose artful dodging the oldest hand can scarcely guard against; but I'm proud to say not one of those artful dodgers has ever yet been able to get the better of me. Perhaps my time is to come, and I shall be bamboozled in my old age." Before replying to Honoria's inquiry, Andrew Larkspur studied her from head to foot, with eyes whose sharp scrutiny would have been very unpleasant to anyone who had occasion for concealment. The result of the scrutiny seemed to be tolerably satisfactory, for Mr. Larkspur at last replied to his visitor's question in a tone which for him was extremely gracious. "You want to know whether you can engage my services," he said; "that depends upon circumstances." "Upon what circumstances?" "Whether you will be able to pay me. My hands are very full just now, and I've about as much business as I can possibly get through." "I shall want you to abandon all such business, and to devote yourself exclusively to my service," said Honoria. "The deuce you will!" exclaimed Mr. Larkspur. "Do you happen to know what my time is worth?" Mr. Larkspur looked positively outraged by the idea that any one could suppose they could secure a monopoly of his valuable services. "That is a question with which I have no concern," answered Honoria, coolly. "The work which I require you to do will most likely occupy all your time, and entirely absorb your attention. I am quite prepared to pay you liberally for your services, and I shall leave you to name your own terms. I shall rely on your honour as a man of business that those terms will not be exorbitant, and I shall accede to them without further question."