Rupert hesitated, when to his surprise some one tapped him on the shoulder.
"What brings you here, Rupert?" were the words that reached his ear.
He turned round in surprise.
"Mr. Sylvester!" he exclaimed.
"I see you have not forgotten me. What brings you here?"
"Sad necessity, Mr. Sylvester. But—I didn't expect to find you here. Surely you——"
"No, I have not come here to pawn anything," said the young man, smiling. "On the contrary, I want to redeem a watch for an old schoolmate who was obliged to pawn it. He has a wife and child and was thrown out of employment four weeks since. Fortunately I ran across him, and have got him a place."
"I will wait till you have attended to your business."
Soon a gold watch was placed in Mr. Sylvester's hands, and he paid the pawnbroker twenty dollars and sixty cents. It had been pledged not quite a month for twenty dollars. The sixty cents represented the three per cent. a month interest allowed by the laws regulating pawn shops.
"Now, young man," said the attendant, "do you want the dollar and a quarter I offered you on your ring?"