Paul the Peddler Part 36

"You didn't expect to meet me now, did you?" asked Mr. Montgomery.

"I s'pose I'd orter know you," said the perplexed youth, "but I can't think what your name is."

"What! Not know Mr. Barnes, the minister of Hayfield Centre? Don't you remember hearing me preach for your minister?"

"Seems to me I do," answered the young man, persuading himself that he ought to remember.

"Of course you do. Now, my young friend, I am very glad to have met you."

"So am I," said the other, awkwardly.

"You can do me a favor, if you will."

"Of course, I will," said Jonathan, "if it's anything I can do."

"Yes, you will have no trouble about it. You see, I went into a jeweler's near by to sell a valuable ring, and they wanted to make sure I was really a minister, and not intending to cheat them. If you will go in with me, and say that you have often heard me preach, and that I am the Rev. Mr. Barnes, of Hayfield Centre, I won't mind paying you five dollars for your trouble."

"All right; I'll do it," said the rustic, considering that it would be an unusually easy way of earning few dollars.

"You'll remember the name, won't you?"

"Yes--Parson Barnes, of Hayfield Centre."

"That is right. The store is near by. Walk along with us, and we will be there in five minutes."

CHAPTER XXIII

A NEW EXPEDIENT

"I believe your name is Peck?" said Mr. Montgomery, hazarding a guess.

"No, it's Young, Ephraim Young."

"Of course it is. I remember now, but I am apt to forget names. You said your parents were quite well?"

"Yes, they're pretty smart."

"I am glad to hear it; I have the pleasantest recollections of your excellent father. Let me see, didn't you call there with me once, Mrs.

Barnes?"

"Not that I remember."

"You must go with me the next time. I want you to know the parents of our young friend. They are excellent people. Do you go back this afternoon, Mr. Young?"

"Yes, I guess so. You don't know of any sitooation I could get in a store round here, do you?"

"Not at present, but I have some influential friends to whom I will mention your name. Suppose, now, I could obtain a situation for you, how shall I direct the letter letting you know?"

"Just put on the letter 'Ephraim Young.' Everybody in Plainfield knows me."

"So he lives in Plainfield," said Mr. Montgomery to himself. "It's as well to know that." Then aloud: "I won't forget, Mr. Young. What sort of business would you prefer?"

"Any kind that'll pay," said the gratified youth, firmly convinced of his companion's ability to fulfill his promise. "I've got tired of stayin' round home, and I'd like to try York a little while. Folks say it's easy to make money here."

"You are right. If I were a business man, I would come to New York at once. For a smart young man like you it offers a much better opening than a country village."

"That's what I've told dad often," said the rustic, "but he's afraid I wouldn't get nothing to do and he says it's dreadful expensive livin'

here."

"So it is expensive, but then you will be better paid than in the country. However, here we are. You won't forget what I told you?"

"No--I'll remember," said the young man.

The reappearance of Mr. Barnes and wife so soon excited some surprise in the store, for it had got around, as such things will, that he was an impostor, and it was supposed that he would not venture to show his face there again. The appearance of his rustic companion likewise attracted attention. Certainly, Mr. Montgomery (it makes little difference what we call him) did not exhibit the slightest appearance of apprehension, but his manner was quite cool and self-possessed. He made his way to that part of the counter attended by the clerk with whom he had before spoken. He observed with pleasure and relief that the man who had questioned his ident.i.ty with any of the ministers of Hayfield Centre was no longer in the store. This would make the recovery of the ring considerably easier.

"Well, sir," he said, addressing the clerk, "I suppose you did not expect to see me again so soon?"

"No, sir."

"Nor did I expect to be able to return for the ring before to-morrow, not supposing that I could bring witnesses to prove that I was what I represented. But fortunately I met just now a young friend, who can testify to my ident.i.ty, as he has heard me preach frequently in Plainfield, where he resides. Mr. Young, will you be kind enough to tell this gentleman who I am?"

"Parson Barnes, of Hayfield Centre," said the youth, confidently.

"You have heard me preach, have you not, in Plainfield?"

"Yes," said the young man, fully believing that he was telling the truth.

"And I have called on your parents?"

"Yes."

"I think," said the adventurer, "that will be sufficient to convince you that I am what I appear."

It was hard to doubt, in the face of such evidence. Ephraim Young was so unmistakably from the rural districts that it would have been absurd to suspect him of being an artful city rogue. Besides, Mr. Barnes himself was got up so naturally that all the clerk's doubts vanished at once. He concluded that the customer who had questioned his genuineness must be very much mistaken.

"I ought to apologize to you, sir," he said, "for doubting your word.

But in a city like this you know one has to be very careful."

"Of course," said the adventurer, blandly, "I do not blame you in the least. You only did your duty, though it might have cost me some trouble and inconvenience."

"I am sorry, sir."

"No apologies, I beg. It has all turned out right, and your mistake was a natural one. If you will kindly return me the ring, I will defer selling it, I think, till another day."

The clerk brought the ring, which he handed back to Mr. Montgomery. The latter received it with so much the more satisfaction, as he had made up his mind at one time that it was gone irrevocably, and put it away in his waistcoat pocket.