“That’s all right, Mr. Stokes,” replied the Colonel genially, drawing up a chair and seating himself uninvited at their table. “It isn’t the habit of your uncle Ben to get left, and I knew I would find Steele ultimately if he was in town. Say, John, you ought to be in New York nowadays. Things are booming there.”
“I have had enough of booms,” replied the young man without enthusiasm.
“Nonsense! It’s absurd for a capable fellow like you, and a talented man, too, if I may be allowed to say so before your face, to chuck things up the way you’ve done. And that reminds me, John, did you ever sell that block of Northern Pacific stock you had during the panic?”
“I never did.”
“Got it yet, eh? Well, I congratulate you. Now, at the present moment that would form a very nice little nucleus to begin on, and you can count on me to help you till everything’s blue.”
“The stock wasn’t much of a nucleus last time I tendered it to you, Colonel,” said Steele dryly.
The Colonel threw back his head and laughed boisterously.
“Oh, you haven’t forgotten that episode yet? Well, you bolted from Warmington so quickly that I hadn’t any chance of giving you an explanation.”
“No explanation was needed, Colonel Beck. You refused me the money I required, and were quite within your right in doing so.”
“Yes, but why did I refuse you; why? Answer me that, John.”