“Of course,” said the adventurer, blandly, “I do not blame you in the least. You only did your duty, though it might have cost me some trouble and inconvenience.”
“I am sorry, sir.”
“No apologies, I beg. It has all turned out right, and your mistake was a natural one. If you will kindly return me the ring, I will defer selling it, I think, till another day.”
The clerk brought the ring, which he handed back to Mr. Montgomery. The latter received it with so much the more satisfaction, as he had made up his mind at one time that it was gone irrevocably, and put it away in his waistcoat pocket.
“I had intended to buy some silver spoons,” he said, “but it will be necessary to wait until I have disposed of the ring. However, I may as well look at some, eh, Mrs. Barnes?”
“If you like,” assented the lady.
So the pair examined some spoons, and fixed upon a dozen, which they said they would return and buy on the next day, and then, with a polite good-by, went out of the store, leaving behind, on the whole, a favorable impression.
Ephraim Young accompanied them out, and walked along beside them in the street. He, too, was in good spirits, for had not his companion promised him five dollars for his services, which he had faithfully rendered? Five dollars to the young man from the rural districts was a very considerable sum of money—quite a nugget, in fact—and he already enjoyed in advance the pleasure which he anticipated of telling his friends at home how easily he had earned such a sum in “York.” He walked along beside the adventurer, expecting that he would say something about paying him, but no allusion was made by the adventurer to his promise. Indeed, five dollars was considerably more than he had in his possession. When they reached Amity street, for they were now proceeding up Broadway, he sought to shake off the young man, whose company he no longer desired.
“This is our way,” he said. “I suppose you are going further. I am very glad to have met you, Mr. Young. I hope you will give our regards to your excellent parents;” and he held out his hand in token of farewell.
“Ain't you goin' to pay me that money?” said Ephraim, bluntly, becoming alarmed at the prospect of losing the nugget he had counted on with so much confidence.