"Here?"

"In my service. I am about to place a great mission and a great trust in
your hands."

"In the hands of a man you know nothing about?"

"I know you as if I had raised you."

Donnegan smiled, and shaking his head, the red hair flashed and
shimmered.

"As long as there is no work attached to the mission, it may be
agreeable to me."

"But there is work."

"Then the contract is broken before it is made."

"You are rash. But I had rather begin with a dissent and then work
upward."

Donnegan waited.

"To balance against work--"

"Excuse me. Nothing balances against work for me."

"To balance against work," continued the colonel, raising a white hand
and by that gesture crushing the protest of Donnegan, "there is a great