One gloomy afternoon Jimmy stood outside an employment bureau among a group of shabbily dressed, dejected men, some of whom were of distinctly unprepossessing appearance. One had roughly pushed him away from the window; but he did not rouse himself to resent it. He felt listless and low-spirited, and to wait a little would pass the time. Besides, he thought he had read all the notices about men required which the agent displayed, and had offered himself for several of the posts without success. He got his turn at the window at last, and left it moodily9; but when he reached the edge of the sidewalk he stopped suddenly and the blood rushed to his face. Ruth Osborne was crossing the street toward him.
Jimmy looked around desperately10, but it was too late to escape; he could only hope that Miss Osborne would pass without recognizing him. He did not want her to see him among the group of shabby loungers. His own clothes were the worse for wear, and he knew that he had a broken-down appearance. The employment bureau’s sign suggested what he was doing there, and he would not have the girl know how low he had fallen. He had turned his back toward her and pulled his shabby hat low down over his eyes, when her voice reached him.
“Mr. Farquhar!”
Jimmy turned, thrilled but embarrassed, and Ruth smiled at him.
“I can’t compliment you upon your memory,” she said.
Jimmy saw that the other men were regarding them curiously11. He was not surprised, for Ruth had a well-bred air and her dress indicated wealth and refinement12, while his appearance was greatly against him; but it was insufferable that those fellows should speculate about her, and he moved slowly forward.
“I think my memory’s pretty good,” he answered with a steady glance.
“That makes your behavior worse, because it looks as if you meant to avoid me.”
“I’ll confess that I did; but I’m not sure that you can blame me. No doubt you saw how I was employed?”
Ruth’s eyes sparkled and there was more color than usual in her face.
“I do blame you; it’s no excuse. Did you think I was mean enough to let that prevent me from speaking to you?”
“Since you have asked the question, I can’t imagine your being mean in any way at all,” Jimmy answered boldly. “I’m afraid I was indulging in false sentiment, but perhaps that wasn’t unnatural13. We all have our weaknesses.”
“That’s true; mine’s a quick temper, and you nearly made me angry. I feel slighted when people I know run away from me.”
“One wouldn’t imagine it often happens. Anyhow, I’ve pleaded guilty.”
“Then, as a punishment, you must come with me to our hotel and tell us of your voyage to the North. My father will not be back until late, but I think you’ll like my aunt.”
Jimmy looked surprised.
“You knew I was in the North?”
“Yes,” she answered, smiling. “Does that seem very strange? Perhaps you find it easy to let a pleasant acquaintance drop.”
“I found it very hard,” Jimmy said with some warmth.
Then he pulled himself up, remembering that this was not the line he ought to take. “After all,” he added, “it doesn’t follow that a friendship made on a voyage can be kept up ashore14. A steamboat officer’s privileges end when he reaches land.”
“Where he seems to lose his confidence in himself. You’re either unusually modest or unfairly bitter.”
“It’s not that. I hope I’m not a fool.”
Ruth felt half impatient and half compassionate16. She understood why he had made no attempt to follow up their acquaintance; but she thought he insisted too much upon the difference between their positions in the social scale.
“I suppose your father learned where I had gone?”
“No; it was Aynsley Clay who told me. My father certainly asked one of the Empress mates what had become of you, but learned only that you had left the ship. You must remember Aynsley, the yachtsman you met on the island.”
“Yes,” said Jimmy incautiously. “My partners and I worked in his mill until a week or two ago. Then we were turned out.”
“Turned out? Why? I can’t imagine Aynsley’s being a hard master.”
“He isn’t. We got on very well. I don’t believe we owe our dismissal to him.”
Ruth started. She was keen-witted and quick to jump to conclusions. Jimmy’s statement bore out certain troublesome suspicions, and she remembered that she had forced Aynsley to speak about him in Clay’s presence. Perhaps she was responsible for his misfortunes; she felt guilty.
“Then whatever you were doing in the North was not a success?” she suggested.
“It was not,” Jimmy answered with some grimness.
Ruth studied him with unobtrusive interest. It was obvious that he was not prospering17, and he looked worn. This roused her compassion15, though she realized that there was nothing that she could do. The man’s pride stood between them.
“I’m sorry,” she said gently. “You may be more fortunate another time. I suppose you have some plans for the future?”
She seemed to invite his confidence, and he saw that her interest was sincere. It was unthinkable that she should have any knowledge of the conspiracy18 between her father and Clay, but he could not speak to her openly. Loyalty19 to his friends prevented his taking such a course, because she might inadvertently mention what she had heard, and it was impossible to ask her to keep it secret from her relatives.
“They’re indefinite,” he answered. “I expect we’ll find something that will suit us by and by.”
She saw that he was on his guard, and felt hurt by his reserve, particularly as she had made several advances which he would not meet. Then, glancing down a street that led to the wharf20, she saw, towering above the sheds, a steamer’s tunnel and a mast from which a white and red flag fluttered.
“That’s your old boat; she came in this morning,” she said. “I wonder whether we might go on board? After the pleasant trip we had in her, I feel that I’d like to see the ship again.”
“As you wish,” said Jimmy, with obvious hesitation21.
Ruth regretted the mistake that she had made, because she thought she understood his reluctance22. He looked as if he had come down in the world, and would no doubt find it painful to re-visit the boat on board of which he had been an officer.
“Perhaps there isn’t time, after all,” she said. “I told my aunt when I would be back at the hotel, and we are almost there. She will be glad to talk with you.”
Jimmy glanced at the building and stopped. Several luxuriously23 appointed
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