Final answer:
The inference supported by the excerpt from O. Henry's 'A Retrieved Reformation' suggests that the main character is a criminal, as indicated by the title and the typical themes of O. Henry's stories.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the excerpt provided from O. Henry's short story A Retrieved Reformation, the correct inference is that the main character is a criminal. The use of the term reformation in the title may suggest a change from a past of wrongdoing, implying that the character is seeking reform, which is supported by the concept of a criminal past. Unfortunately, without the actual excerpt in the question, we cannot point to specific text evidence to further justify this inference. Nevertheless, the nature of O. Henry's works often involves characters with complex pasts who experience a moral change or a twist in their story, which frequently involves characters with a criminal background.