“I know they ought to be paid, and you said you would put me in the way of doing it.”
“So I will. I’ll come to that directly. But who else do you owe?”
Guy went on with the list of those to whom he was indebted, checking each one off on the fingers of his left hand as he pronounced his name. Jones listened in genuine amazement, for Guy had been carrying things with a much higher hand than he had supposed. His debts, according to his own showing, footed up one hundred and twenty-five dollars, and if the amounts charged against him on the books of his creditors exceeded his expectations as greatly as Jones hoped they would, he owed at least two hundred dollars. The commercial traveler took down the names and amounts as Guy called them off—a proceeding that Guy could not see the necessity of.
“You mustn’t show that to anybody,” said he.
“Certainly not,” replied Jones with an injured air. “I wish to ascertain just how much you owe, so that I may know how large a sum of money it will take to put you on your feet again. One hundred and twenty-five dollars,” he continued, after he had added up the column of figures. “That is a bad showing, Guy—a very bad showing indeed. It is a large sum to one whose salary amounts to only four hundred dollars a year, but it must be paid. Are you ready to listen to my plans now?”
“I am,” said Guy. “I am all ears.”
“I do not suppose that you will like them at first,” said Mr. Jones, “but if you will take my advice you will consider well before you reject them. I can only say that I am about to describe to you a business to which, as I happen to know, a great many people resort to enable them to eke out a respectable livelihood.”
With this, Mr. Jones took a long pull at his cigar by way of inspiration, settled back on his elbow on the bed, and proceeded with a minute and careful explanation of the business to which he had referred. He had not said many words before Guy’s eyes begun to open with surprise, and the longer he listened the more amazed he became. When Mr. Jones drew from his pocket the implements of his trade and exhibited them to Guy, the latter jumped from his chair in high indignation.
“I’ll never do it!” said he with emphasis. “I haven’t amounted to much during the time I have knocked about the world, but I have never yet been mean enough to play confidence man.”
“This is the way you repay the interest I take in you, is it?” demanded Mr. Jones angrily. “I offer you a friend’s advice and services, and you abuse me for it.”