“I hope you won’t consider me rude, or lacking in friendship,” replied Herbert; “but really the circumstances make it impossible for me to tell you why I acted as I did.”
“All right, old fellow,” rejoined Tomlin, slapping Herbert on the back again; “I am satisfied whether you tell me or not. I believe in you and that is sufficient.”
Shortly before noon the following day Herbert went to the office of the New York Sentinel and presented his card to the city editor. That individual sat in his roll-top chair and gazed at the bit of pasteboard musingly:
“So you want a job, do you? Well, I have heard of your name before, and I understand that you have done some creditable work. I might make a place for you here--”
“Could you?” inquired Herbert eagerly; “I’m sure if you would give me the chance I’d make good.”
“I don’t doubt it,” said the city editor. Then as if the thought had just struck him: “By the way, how did you come to leave the Argus?”
Herbert flushed up at this, and the fact did not escape the attention of the keen-witted city editor of the Sentinel. He scrutinized his visitor with a steady eye. Herbert hesitated for some seconds, and then said slowly:
“Well, to tell the truth, that is a personal matter that I cannot explain.”
“All right,” said the other slowly, “that rests with you entirely.”
“Can I have the position?” inquired Herbert.
“Well,” said the other, rubbing his hand over his face and speaking slower than before, “I think you had better come in and see me again in the course of a day or so.”
This was not very satisfactory, but Herbert had to make the best of it. He returned to his room for the purpose of writing some letters and later on took a walk. Two days after this incident he called at the Sentinel office, but found, to his disappointment, that the city editor was out of the city. Another day elapsed, and this time the man he was in search of was at his desk.
“Do you find that you will be able to employ me on the Sentinel?” asked Herbert.
“No,” said the city editor decidedly; “no, I cannot find room for you.”
“Is there any special reason for that decision?” asked Herbert with a sinking sensation in the region of the heart.
“Well,” yawned the city editor, stretching his arms over his head, “I don’t know that I should answer that question; but I will say that I had a talk with Blakeley, the city editor of the Argus, yesterday afternoon. You can draw your own conclusions.”