"Yes; I am sorry for you and want to help you along."
"You're a brick!" exclaimed Jim, emphatically. "If any feller
tries to play a trick on you, you just tell me, and I'll lam
him."
"All right, Jim!" said Paul, kindly; "I'll remember it."
"There ain't anybody you want licked, is there?" asked Jim,
earnestly.
"Not at present, thank you," said Paul, smiling.
"When you do, I'm on hand," said Jim. "Now I'll go and get some
grub."
He shuffled along toward Ann street, where there was a cheap
eating-house, in which ten cents would pay for a plate of meat.
He was decidedly hungry, and did justice to the restaurant, whose
style of cookery, though not very choice, suited him so well that
he could readily have eaten three plates of meat instead of one,
but for the prudent thought that compelled him to reserve enough
to embark in business afterwards. Jim was certainly a hard
ticket; but Paul's unexpected kindness had won him, and produced
a more profound impression than a dozen floggings could have
done. I may add that Jim proved luck in his business investment,
and by the close of the afternoon had enough money to provide
himself with supper and lodging, besides a small fund to start
with the next day.
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