“Well?”
“I can go over them some other time. I’ll be right up.”
A discovery that encouraged Don the following 85 week was that by some unconscious power of absorption he grew sufficiently familiar with the financial jargon of the office to feel that it really was within the possibilities that some day he might understand it fully. He found several opportunities to talk with Powers, and the latter, after recovering from his surprise at the primitive nature of some of Don’s questions about notes and bonds, went to some trouble to answer them. Not only that, but he mentioned certain books that might supply fuller and more fundamental information.
“I know these sound like fool questions,” Don apologized, “but I’ve never been down in this end of the town much.”
“That’s all right,” replied Powers. “Come to me any time you’re stuck.”
After Powers went out, Don sat down and tried to recall some of the things he had been told. He remembered some of them and some of them he didn’t. But that day at lunch Miss Winthrop handed him a stenographic report of the entire conversation. Don looked over it in amazement. It was in the form of question and answer.
Mr. Pendleton: Say, old man, what is a gold bond, anyway?
Mr. Powers: I beg your pardon?