A couple of your men have repented of your interest already." "My men?
What do you mean by my men?
I haven't any men." Loge's imitation of astonishment was a piece of art; but if anything he overdid it a trifle.

He frowned in a puzzled fashion, and then said: "You talk about my men; you speak riddles to me; you appear to threaten me, but after all I have only made you a plain business proposition.

I ask you again, what will you take for her ?" "She's not for sale," said Cleggett shortly.
Loge did not speak again for a moment.

Instead, he picked up the spoon with which Cleggett had stirred his highball and began to draw characters with its wet point upon the table.

"If it's a question of price," he said finally, "I'm prepared to allow you a handsome profit." Cleggett determined to find out how far he would go.
"You might be willing to pay as much as $5,000 for her--for the old hulk over there in the canal ?" Loge stopped playing with the spoon and looked searchingly into Cleggett's face.