"That is perfectly satisfactory. I have only one favor to ask."
"What is that?"
"Send him on the road as soon as you consider him competent. I think he will make a successful drummer."
"That is my intention. Some of my salesmen can never go outside the store. Young Walton will make a good record outside."
Scott had been with the new firm for a month, when Seth Lawton returned from Chicago. He was much pleased at Scott's success, but understood very well that he was indebted for it to the friendly offices of Justin Wood.
"Do your best, Scott," he said. "You are at the bottom of the ladder, but you must climb. Your future depends on yourself. Do you ever see anything of Loammi?"
"I have met him two or three times. He seems surprised, and I think a little disappointed, at my success."
"Does he know how much you receive?"
"No; I promised to keep that a secret. But he knows that I live in a comfortable boarding house on Lexington Avenue, and have a good room. If he knew I was paid ten dollars a week he would want to borrow money. His father has reduced his allowance to fifty cents a week, and he complains that he might as well be a newsboy. 'Don't you think the old man is mean?' he asked me yesterday."
"And what did you reply?"