He reached down in his hip pocket and took out a fat purse.It was filled with slips of paper, some mileage books, a roll of greenbacks.It impressed her deeply.Such a purse had never been carried by any one attentive to her.Indeed, an experienced traveller, a brisk man of the world, had never come within such close range before.The purse, the shiny tan shoes, the smart new suit, and the air with which he did things, built up for her a dim world of fortune, of which he was the centre.It disposed her pleasantly toward all he might do.
He took out a neat business card, on which was engraved Bartlett, Caryoe & Company, and down in the left-hand corner, Chas.H.
Drouet.
"That's me," he said, putting the card in her hand and touching his name."It's pronounced Drew-eh.Our family was French, on my father's side."
She looked at it while he put up his purse.Then he got out a letter from a bunch in his coat pocket."This is the house I
travel for," he went on, pointing to a picture on it, "corner of State and Lake." There was pride in his voice.He felt that it was something to be connected with such a place, and he made her feel that way.
"What is your address?" he began again, fixing his pencil to write.
She looked at his hand.
"Carrie Meeber," she said slowly."Three hundred and fifty-four West Van Buren Street, care S.C.Hanson."