He crossed the street, and joined the man who has already been referred to as boarding at the hotel.
Mr. Stark had now been several days in Milford. What brought him there, or what object he had in staying, Leonard had not yet ascertained. He generally spent part of his evenings with the stranger, and had once or twice received from him a small sum of money. Usually, however, he had met Mr. Stark in the billiard room, and played a game or two of billiards with him. Mr. Stark always paid for the use of the table, and that was naturally satisfactory to Leonard, who enjoyed amusement at the expense of others.
Leonard, bearing in mind his uncle’s request, had not mentioned his name to Mr. Stark, and Stark, though he had walked about the village more or less, had not chanced to meet Mr. Gibbon.
He had questioned Leonard, however, about Mr. Jennings, and whether he was supposed to be rich.
Leonard had answered freely that everyone considered him so.
“But he doesn’t know how to enjoy his money,” he added.
“We should,” said Stark, jocularly.
“You bet we would,” returned Leonard; and he was quite sincere in his boast, as we know from his conversation with Carl.
“By the way,” said Stark, on this particular evening, “I never asked you about your family, Leonard. I suppose you live with your parents.”
“No, sir. They are dead.”