“I am a stranger here. I only arrived on the last steamer.”
The other looked interested.
“Where do you come from?”
“From New York.”
“I used to live there,” said Gregory—for it was he—with a sigh.
“Have you bettered yourself by coming out here?” asked Hector.
Gregory shook his head.
“No,” he said; “I begin to think I was a fool to come at all.”
“Perhaps you had poor prospects in New York?” said Hector.
“No; my uncle is a rich merchant there. I have some property, also, and he is my guardian.”