“I want to make you a present of some books I own,” said Ulmer Montgomery. “Perhaps you'll like to read them. They are historical works.”
“Thank you, Mr. Montgomery, you are very kind.”
“I used to be a book agent, but I gave that up as it didn't pay me as well as some other things.”
“And you had these books left over?”
“Yes. The firm I worked for wouldn't take them back so I had to keep them.”
“And now you are selling curiosities.”
At this Ulmer Montgomery smiled blandly.
“Not exactly, Joe—I only sell curiosities, or antiquities, when I am hard up. On other occasions I do like other folks, work for a living.”
“I don't quite understand.”
“I dropped into selling curiosities when I was in the South and hard up for cash. I wanted money the worst way, and I—well, I set to work to raise it. Maybe you'd like to hear my story.”