After Twenty Years

"After Twenty Years" is a short story written by O. Henry, first published in his anthology, The Four Million in 1906.

[1] Jimmy Wells and Bob were raised in New York City and grew up as very close friends, just like brothers.

Their paths diverged when Bob moved west to make his fortune and Jimmy stayed in New York as young adults.

Before they parted, though, Bob and Jimmy agreed to meet in twenty years at the restaurant Big Joe Brady's where they last saw each other.

In the letter, Jimmy explains that when he arrived at the designated spot and realized that his old friend, Bob, was the criminal that the police were on the lookout for, he did not have the heart to arrest him, instead, he sent a plainclothes officer to do so.