“That was very kind,” Tom was forced to admit.
“Yes, I shall never forget it. We became very intimate. You may have noticed that he called me Jim?”
“Yes, I did.”
“The fact is, he took a dislike to the name of Percy. I believe he had been injured by some party of that name. So he asked if he might call me Jim, and I consented. Names don’t matter much if the heart’s in the right place.”
“No, I suppose not,” answered Tom, who was satisfied with the explanation.
“I haven’t seen Jack for a good while,” said Mr. Burnett, “and he was curious to know what I was doing. He expressed himself rather oddly.”
“Yes, sir.”
“The fact is, Tom—and I suppose you may have guessed—I am a dealer in watches and jewelry. I was in business in Cincinnati till recently, but decided to remove to San Francisco, upon learning that there is an excellent opening there for a man in my business. A small part of my stock I have in the satchel which you are carrying. Did you ever think of learning the jewelry business?”
“No, I never thought of it,” Tom replied.