Because he blinked.
Tompkins, a detective, knows that Ralph Spencer and Jimmy Valentine are the same person by line 37 in "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry.
The protagonist in "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry is Jimmy Valentine, a professional safe-cracker who undergoes a transformation after falling in love.
Jimmy Valentine is a fictional character created by O. Henry in the short story "A Retrieved Reformation." Ralph D. Spencer is a character from the same story who is also known as Jimmy Valentine, as he is a skilled safe-cracker who reforms his ways after falling in love.
In "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry, Billy is a fellow criminal who used to work with Jimmy Valentine before he went to prison. He plays a significant role in the story as he inadvertently leads to Jimmy's reformation by recognizing him and warning him about a potential trap.
Jimmy Valentine stops cracking safes in "A Retrieved Reformation" because he falls in love with Annabel Adams and decides to reform to live a better life with her. After being imprisoned, Jimmy realizes the importance of living honestly and changing his ways for the woman he loves.
One story has Jimmy Valentine as a main character, the other has Bob,and Jimmy.
In "A Retrieved Reformation," Annabel unknowingly forgives Jimmy Valentine once she falls in love with him as Ralph D. Spencer. She accepts him for who he is now, rather than judging him for his past crimes as a safecracker. Through his actions as Ralph, Jimmy proves himself to be a changed man, earning Annabel's forgiveness and love.
Yes, Jimmy Valentine is the main character in the short story "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry. He is a skilled safe-cracker who undergoes a transformation after serving time in prison.
The major characters in "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry are Jimmy Valentine, a talented safecracker who reforms after falling in love with Annabel Adams, an honest and kind-hearted woman. Ben Price, a detective who has been chasing Valentine, plays a crucial role in the story's climax.
The title "A Retrieved Reformation" is fitting to the story's content as it encapsulates the central theme of personal transformation and redemption. The character of Jimmy Valentine goes through a significant change and reformation, making the title highly relevant.
The inciting incident in "A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry is when Jimmy Valentine is released from prison after serving ten months of a four-year sentence. This event sets the story in motion as Jimmy decides whether to return to his life of crime or start anew.