"And you will not do, my dear boy! Besides, it would not be your work. I meant some man who dislikes him so consumedly that he would not stick at trifles for the sake of revenge--and hard cash. What is more," continued Wrigley, as Jessop shook his head, "it must be some one connected with the mine." "Bah! How can it be, when the mine is not started?" "Then it must be as soon as possible after the mine has been started. Some workman under him in a position of trust, whom he has injured: struck him, taken his wife or sweetheart, mortally injured in some way." Jessop burst into a coarse laugh, and Wrigley looked at him inquiringly. "My dear boy," said the stockbroker, "I thought this was to be a matter of finessing and making a few thousands." "It is, and of making a good many thousands." "And you talk as if it were a plot for an Adelphi drama. My dear fellow, my brother Clive is a sort of nineteenth-century saint--not the cad in a play. Clive doesn't drink, bet, nor gamble in any way. He is a good boy, who is engaged, and goes to church regularly with the lady." "Oh, yes; that's as far as you know now." "I do know," cried Jessop. "Clive has never run away with any one's wife, nor bullied men, nor gone to the--your friends for coin. If you can't hit out a better way than that, we may pitch the thing up." "At the first difficulty?" said Wrigley, smiling. "No, my boy. We want such a man as I have described--a man whose opinion about the mine will be worth taking. He must, as I say, hate your brother sufficiently to give that opinion when we want it, so as to say check to your brother and be believed." "Well, then, there isn't such a man," said Jessop sourly. "Indeed! When do you expect your brother back?" "At any time now. To-morrow or next day, to meet the directors at the board and report again upon his inspection." "Again?" "Yes; he has been down twice before." "Who is down there?" "Only the man in charge of the mine." "Who is he?" "Some fellow my father got hold of in connection with other mine speculations." "Well, wouldn't he do?" "Pooh! He is, I should say, out of the question." "At a price?" "At a price!" Jessop started and looked keenly at the solicitor. "Every man they say has his price, my dear Jessop. We want the kind of man I describe. You say there is no such man. I say there are in the market, and I should say this is the very chap." "But surely you would not bribe him to--" "Don't use ugly terms. If I saw my way to make a hundred thousand pounds I should not shrink from giving a man five hundred to help me make it." "No, nor a thousand," said Jessop. "My dear boy, I would get him for five hundred if I could, but if I could not, I would go higher than you say; in fact, I would go up to ninety-five thousand sooner than lose five. Do you understand?" "Yes, I understand. Anything to turn an honest penny."