"Why, Joe!" she exclaimed, delighted. "Is it really you?"
"Bad pennies always come back," said Joe.
"Have you---- I am afraid you have not been fortunate," said theyoung lady, hesitating as she noticed Joe's shabby clothes.
"Do you think less of me for that?"
"No," said Annie Raymond warmly. "It is you I like, not yourclothes. You may have been unfortunate, but I am sure you deservedsuccess."
"You are a true friend, Miss Annie, so I don't mind telling you thatI was successful."
Annie Raymond looked astonished.
"And these clothes--" she began.
"I put on for Oscar Norton's benefit. I wanted to see how he wouldreceive me. He evidently rejoiced at my bad fortune."
"Oscar is a mean boy. Joe, you must come to our house to supper."
"Thank you, I will; but I will go round to the hotel and change myclothes."
"Never mind."
"But I do mind. I don't fancy a shabby suit as long as I can affordto wear a good one."
Joe went to the hotel, took off his ragged clothes, put on a new andstylish suit which he recently had made for him, donned a gold watchand chain, and hat in the latest style, and thus dressed, his naturalgood looks were becomingly set off.
"How do I look now?" he asked, when he met Miss Annie Raymond at herown door.
"Splendidly, Joe. I thought you were a young swell from the city."
After supper Annie said, her eyes sparkling with mischief:
"Suppose we walk over to Major Norton's and see Oscar."
"Just what I wanted to propose."
Oscar was out in the front yard, when he caught sight of Joe andAnnie Raymond approaching. He did not at first recognize Joe, butthought, like the young lady, that it was some swell from the city.
"You see I've come again, Oscar," said Joe, smiling.
Oscar could not utter a word. He was speechless with astonishment.
"I thought you were poor," he uttered, at last.
"I have had better luck than you thought."
"I suppose you spent all your money for those clothes."
"You are mistaken, Oscar. I am not so foolish. I left between twoand three thousand dollars in a New York bank, and I have more thantwice that in San Francisco."
"It isn't possible!" exclaimed Oscar, surprised and disappointed.
"Here is my bank-book; you can look at it," and Joe pointed to adeposit of twenty-five hundred dollars. "I don't think, Oscar, itwill pay me to accept your father's offer and take my old place."
"I don't understand it. How did you do it?" asked the bewilderedOscar.
"I suppose it was my luck," said Joe.
"Not wholly that," said Annie Raymond. "It was luck and labor."
"I accept the amendment, Miss Annie."
Oscar's manner changed at once. Joe, the successful Californian, wasvery different from Joe, the hired boy. He became very attentive toour hero, and before he left town condescended to borrow twentydollars of him, which he never remembered to repay. He wanted to goback to California with Joe, but his father would not consent.
When Joe returned to San Francisco, by advice of Mr. Morgan he soldout his restaurant to Watson and took charge of Mr. Morgan's realestate business. He rose with the rising city, became a very richman, and now lives in a handsome residence on one of the hills thatoverlook the bay. He has an excellent wife--our old friend, AnnieRaymond--and a fine family of children. His domestic happiness isby no means the smallest part of Joe's luck.
THE END
Joe's Luck; Or, Always Wide Awake Page 16
