“‘Good trout up those streams and plenty of them,’ he went on. ‘Going alone?’
“I did not half like his importunity, but considering I had nothing better to do, replied as affably as possible. ‘No, I expect to meet a friend in Pentonville who will accompany me.”
“His hand went to his beard in a thoughtful attitude and he cast me what, with my increased experience of the world, I should now consider a sinister glance. ‘Then you are expected?’ said he.
“Not considering this worth reply, I stretched out my feet to the blaze and began to warm them, for I felt chilled through.
“‘Been on the road long?’ he now asked, glancing at the blue flannel suit I wore.
“‘All summer,’ I returned,
“I again thought he looked disappointed.
“‘From Troy or New York?’ he went on with a vague endeavor to appear good naturally off hand.
“‘New York.’
“‘A big place that,’ he continued. ‘I was there once, lots of money stored away in them big buildings down in Wall Street, eh?’