"What brings you to town, James?" he asked.
"Business of great importance," answered Baker.
"Indeed!" said Walton, curiously.
"I will tell you all about it, but not here."
"Do you go back to Sunderland to-night?"
"No; I think of trespassing upon your hospitality."
"Certainly. I shall be glad to have you stay with me. My wife and children are out of town—visiting a sister of hers in Hartford—but the servants will see that we are comfortable."
"All the better. Of course I should have been glad to see Mrs. Walton and the children, but now you can give me more attention."
"I wonder whether he wants to borrow money," thought the merchant, with some uneasiness. "If he does, I shall refuse as civilly as I can. I don't propose to be a prey to impecunious relatives. I need all the money I can command to further my own schemes. In three or four years, if things go well, I shall be able to move to Broadway, and then our family can take a higher social position. My wife would like to have me move at once, but I don't choose to do anything rashly. The time has not yet come for so important a step."