Wait and see if I go
backward. I'm more determined than ever to make good here, for I believe
that the one chance I wanted has come to me. What did Mr. Graylock say
to that, Pliny?" he asked.
"He sneered at it in that nasty way he has, and he was mighty bitter
when he declared that he had no faith in you. He even said you had come
to him to ask for a job, and he felt constrained to turn you down
because he had heard certain things in various quarters that reflected
on your honesty--nothing positive, but just little straws that generally
show which way the wind blows."
Dick half sprang out of his seat, and his face grew red with anger and
mortification.
"I haven't liked Mr. Graylock from way back, but it never entered my
head that he was a man who would descend to actual lies to get even with
a boy who happened to cut his son out of a job. That was about as mean a
thing as any man could ever hint at--no proof, but only general
suspicion, and on that he would ruin my reputation with my employers.
It's hard to stand that, Pliny, mighty hard!" he breathed, clinching his
hands and looking as though he had half a mind to hurry around to the
big department store and demand an explanation and an apology from the
owner.
"Just what I said to myself at the time--old Graylock is a cur, a mean,
mangy cur, that's what he is. And because I detest him so I made up my
mind you should hear what happened to come to my ears.
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