Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-16
JOHN ERLETGFT-
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| Nertlgan laughed. Come come he
sold. You've read my testimonials?"
YES"
"They are good" ..
"They are very good"
Perhaps you think | forged theme
"No-G do not think that"
"You think, perhaps that could not
change"
"f think said Erloigh slowly. that
you have not changed Perhaps I may
, wrong you, but generally find that my
| frst Impressions of man are correct
| Why have you changed your name7"
IAN aunt left me n little money and I
had TO take her name Well we needn't
stand here, fencing with each other. Let
us sit down and talk things over-quietly."
what is there to talk about?'
MY salary"
u don't intend to employ YOU"
II think you will, You won't find a
better man"
~ shall try" said Erleigh dryiy.
We'll, | suppose l must ask you to stay
to supper"
THANK you. I'm glad to see that youll
sit down at the same table with me-"
John Erleigh flushed ~ suppose you
have come to blackmull me-" he said
quietly.
Nothing OF the sort. You advertised
for a science master; I answered the
advertisement. l am quite competent to
do the work. have an excellent
character. I'm n man in thousand. The
head master Of Chesilton said that In his
letter. didn't he? He offered me another
so pounds a year TO keep me-S00 in all,
That's more than you, can afford here
why did you leave Chesilton2" queried
Erleigh.
Because I want to come South IT'S
too cool UP there, I'm rather delicate.
And then I've heard good deal about
you and your work, I IL ought I'd like to
help you on with It,"
~ don't believe you said sErleigh
coldy. You think you've got me in your
power. and you've come here TO put the
screw onto squeeze money out OF me"
Vertigan laughed good humoredly.
well, what about this food?" he said
I'm hungry, and one can always talk
things over better after meal,
Erleigh smiled and led the way into the
dining room. The supper was frugal
enough, but Vertigan seemed to enjoy
every mouthful of II. Erleigh ate spar
ingly, and was very silent and preoccu-
pied. Nertlgan, on the other hand. chatted
necessarily about his work in the north.
He seemed anxious to impress Erleigh
with his capacity for teaching boys and
Keeping them I'm order
When the meal was over the two men
returned to the study, Erleigh lit his pipe
and offered his guest a cigar. They seated
themselves in chairs on either side of tho
fireplace. For all the world they might
have been two old friends who had not
met for a long time. and intended to re-
vive memories OF the past, I)reigh was
calm and thoughtful; Nertigan seemed
very well pleased with himself.
Talbot is dead" said the latter after
minute of silence.
Erleigh drew in his breath sharply, but
made no reply.
"He died a fortnight ago" Vertigan
continued, He'd gone right under-never
held up his head after those five years i'm
Jail. suppose you've never seen him all
these years?'
Never"
'Well, he was a bad lot, and would
have come to grief sooner or later
Again there was Il long silence, Err
leigh's face was very white as his mind
went back into the past. The plainly fur
nished study had vanished; q mist had
covered it. hiding everything save Nerti-
gan's face. That seemed to float In mid
air. The years had fallen from the
features and they were smooth and clean
shaven-ugller than they were now with
a grinning mouth and evil eyes. And. as
he stared at them, the mist resolved itself
into mass OF green leaves. Vertigan's
head was thrust out from a clump of
bushes and the evil eyes were looking at
something that lay on the ground-some-
thing that did not move as it lay at the
feet of John Erleigh,
You didn't mean 20 kill Bob Roch-
ford, said Nertigan after a pause "You
hit him hard, and you were strong in
those days. I dare say YOU are now.
You look pretty fit. He was a brute, but.
unfortunately, that could only have been
proved In one way. You shrRnk from
the proof of it-for your sisters sake,
But YOU should have come forward and
told the truth You could have invented
any lie about the quarrel. You need not