Still he made answer, "You may find it a little harder in the present case than you imagine.
I never received value for these tokens of indebtedness." "You must have been a precious fool to have given them then," was promptly returned, with a curling lip, and in a tone of contempt.

"They represent, I presume, debts of honour ?" "There was precious little honour in the transaction," said Wilkinson, who, stung by the manner and words of the collector, lost his self-possessions.

"If ever a man was cheated, I was." "Say that to Mr.Carlton himself; it is out of place with me.

As I remarked a little while ago, my business is to collect the sums called for by these due-bills.

Are you prepared to settle them ?" "No," was the decisive answer.
"Perhaps," said the collector, who had his part to play, and who, understanding it thoroughly, showed no inclination to go off in a huff; "you do not clearly understand your position, nor the consequences likely to follow the answer just given; that is, if you adhere to your determination not to settle these due-bills." "You'll make the effort to collect by law, I presume ?" "Of course we will." "And get nothing.