He exhibited a check on the Park Bank, which looked all right. It was payable to bearer, and was in the sum of six hundred dollars, as he alleged.
Tom’s suspicions were allayed. He concluded that his new friend was all right, and settled the bill.
“Where are you going this afternoon?” asked Livingston.
“I shall walk around the city a little,” said Tom.
“I’m sorry I can’t go with you. I have some goods to buy and some other business to attend to, but I’ll meet you in the reading-room at six o’clock and we’ll go down to supper.”
“Very well,” said Tom. “That will suit me well enough.”
“Hope you’ll have a good time. I am glad I fell in with you. I don’t often take up with strangers, but I took a fancy to you at first sight.”
Tom felt that he ought to be grateful for this compliment, though he could not reciprocate it. Glancing critically at Mr. Livingston, he acknowledged to himself that he was not a man to whom he would have felt attracted. Of course he answered politely, and they separated.
As he stepped outside of the hotel he looked about him a little, and thus attracted the attention of a boot black.
“Shine your boots, boss?” asked Johnny.