"It's all of that. You could have knocked me over with a feather when Bartlett sprang it on me this morning. Of course, I was expecting something--a boost in salary, or something like that. Bartlett knew that other houses in the Street had made me offers--I've been pretty lucky of late and pulled off one or two rather big deals--but a partnership with L.J. Bartlett--! Think of it, Nat!"
"It'll keep me mighty busy," Kellogg blundered blindly on; "it means a lot of extra work--but you know I like to work...."
"That's right, you do," agreed Duncan drearily. "It's queer to me--it must be a great thing to like to work."
"You bet it's a great thing; why, I couldn't exist if I couldn't work. You remember that time I laid off for a month in the country--for my health's sake? I'll never forget it: hanging round all the time with my hands empty--everyone else with something to do. I wouldn't go through with it again for a fortune. Never felt so useless and in the way--"
"But," interrupted Duncan, knitting his brows as he grappled with this problem, "you were independent, weren't you? You had money--could pay your board?"
"Of course; nevertheless, I felt in the way."
"I know it is; it wouldn't be you if you didn't love work. It wouldn't be me if I did.... Look here, Harry; suppose you didn't have any money and couldn't pay your board--and had nothing to do. How'd you feel in that case?"
"No, it isn't rot. I'm trying to make you understand how I feel when--when it's that way with me.... As it generally is." He raised one hand and let it fall with a gesture of despondency so eloquent that it roused Kellogg out of his own preoccupation.
"Why, Nat!" he cried, genuinely sympathetic. "I've been so taken up with myself that I forgot.... I hadn't looked for you till to-morrow."
"I met Atwater at lunch to-day. He told me; said he was sorry, but--"
"Yes. Everybody is always sorry, _but_--"
Kellogg let his hand fall on Duncan's shoulder. "I'm sorry, too, old man. But don't lose heart. I know it's pretty tough on a fellow--"
"The toughest part of it is that you got the job for me--and I _had_ to fall down."
"Don't think of that. It's not your fault--"
"You're the only man who believes that, Harry."