A ROUGH DIAMOND.
“Rather a rough fellow that,” said Percy Burnett, as he resumed his
seat beside Tom.
“Yes, sir.”
“A rough diamond, I call him,” said Burnett.
Perhaps he saw by Tom’s face that his friend had not struck his young
secretary as a diamond, rough or otherwise, for he proceeded:
“He has sterling qualities, Jack has, and an excellent heart. He is
not refined, I grant. Indeed, he is rather coarse--never moved in good
society, but he’ll stand by a friend through thick and thin. Why, he
once watched beside my sick bed, when I had a fever, day and night, and
wouldn’t leave me till I was out of danger.”
“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.
“When we get to San Francisco I may be able to offer you inducements.”
“I shall want to travel about the State a little first,” said Tom.
“Thank you for the offer, though.”
“Oh, well, I shall be in a hurry. Will you go to the mines?”
“I think so.”
“Perhaps I may go, too. I have never been in any mining district, and I
have a curiosity to see what it looks like. Will you have a cigar?”
“No, thank you.”
“Oh, I forgot you don’t smoke. I suppose I must go into the
smoking-car--be back soon.”
The reader may have a curiosity to know what passed between Percy
Burnett and his friend, the rough diamond, when they left the car
together.
“Who’s that boy you’ve got with you, Jim?” asked Jack.
“A young man who is under my guardianship,” said Mr. Burnett,
hesitating.
Jack laughed.
“A pretty sort of guardian you’ll make,” he said, winking at his friend.
“Don’t speak so loud, Jack. You’ll attract attention.”
“And that’s just what you don’t want, I reckon.”
“Well, yes, if you will have it so.”
“Come, now, tell me what’s your game anyhow? Is the boy rich?”
“No.”
“Then what good can he do you?”
“He has a little money,” said Percy Burnett, cautiously.
“It won’t be his long, then.”
“You wrong me--indeed, you do. I am taking him out as far as Salt Lake
City, and my expenses are to be paid by his friends.”
This was the best story that Mr. Burnett could devise upon the spur of
the moment.
“All I can say is that his friends can’t know much about you. You
didn’t mention to them the term you had served in----”
“Hush!” said Burnett, looking about him in alarm. “Don’t you know any
better than to blurt out such things where people may hear?”
“Well, I’ll keep mum for your sake.”
“Do so, and I’ll make it worth your while, Jack.”
“When?”
“When I return to St. Joe.”
“When will that be?”
“Before long.”
“No, it won’t, if you go all the way to Salt Lake City.”
“Perhaps I may not go all the way there,” said Percy, in a low voice.
“Oh, I see!” responded Jack, winking. “I begin to see your game.”
“You were always a shrewd, long-headed fellow, Jack.”
“So I am,” said Jack, evidently gratified by the praise.
“Of course, when I am in funds----”
“As you expect to be before long.”
“Well, as I expect to be before long, if you don’t interfere with my
plans. I shall remember my friends.”
“Enough said! Now, honor bright! how soon do you expect to get back to
St. Joe?”
“Perhaps in two or three days.”
“You won’t bring the boy back with you?”
“Not if he wants to go on.”
“I say, Jim, I’m hard up. Let me have five dollars now.”
“I assure you, Jack, I am not in a situation to part with any money
just now.”
“I must have it,” said Jack, significantly.
“Oh, well, if you must,” and Mr. Percy Burnett drew it from his vest
pocket, and reluctantly put it into the hand of the “rough diamond.”
“It’s rough luck meeting that fellow!” he muttered as he returned to
his young secretary, “I was hoping I should not meet a soul that knew
me till this job was fairly off my hands. Jack is always hard up,
but it wasn’t safe to refuse him. I must not allow him to have any
conversation with the boy. I will take care to steer clear of him when
I come back this way.”
It was clear that Mr. Percy Burnett was not so much attached to the
“rough diamond” as he led Tom to suppose.