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"Why, you really know me, old fellow."
"Well, well, well, this is a surprise. Once or twice I've seen
your name connected with the "vest-pocket million-pounder", but it
never occured to me that you should be that Henry Adams referred to.
Why, it isn't six months since you were clerking in San Francisco on
a salary, and sitting up nights to earn some extra money, helping me
arrange and verify papers and statistics. The idea of your being in
London, and a millionaire, and a colossal celebrity: I can't realize it!"
"The fact is, Lloyd, I can't realize it myself".
"Why, it's just three months today since we went to the Miners'
restaurant —"
"No, the ‘Good Cheer’".
"Right, it was ‘Good Cheer’; went there at two in the morning,
and had a chop and coffee after a hard six hours' overtime at the
office. I tried to persuade you to come to London with me, and
offered to pay all your expenses, and give you something over if I
succeded in making the sale. And you didn't want to listen to me. You
said I wouldn’t succeed, and you couldn't afford to lose your job. And
yet here you are. How odd it all is! How did you happen to come, and
what did give you this unbelievable start?"
"Oh, just an accident. It's a long story. I'll tell you about it, but
not now".
"When?"
"The end of the month".
"That's more than a fortninght yet. Make it a week".
"I can't. But how's business?"
His cheerfulness disappeared like a breath, and he said with a
sighs.
"You were right, Henry. I wish I hadn't come. I don't want to
talk about it."
"But you must. You must come and stop with me tonight, when
we leave here, and tell me all about it".
"Oh, may I? Are you in earnest?" and tears showed in his eyes.
"Yes; I want to hear the whole story, every word".
"I am so grateful I Just to find a human interest once more in
me and affairs of mine, after what I've been through here!"
That evening I told Miss Langham — I did indeed — told her I
loved her; and she — well, she blushed till her hair turned red, but
she liked it, she said she did. Oh, there was never such an evening!