Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-08-19
EIGHTH I~NSTALLMENT

me as if my life was to be there, do
ing something for the city, not just
helping Pug pound money out of fat
slobs who come up here" John and
Van Horn were then resting on a
fence rail, under the shade of an
oak, looking across the valley that
separated them by a mile or more
from Greenbough. They talked idly.
Van Horn pulled out a burnt briar
and filled it. He drew a few pufs
of smoke.
you've studied a lot" The older
man had a very wholesome regard
for Johns extraordinary researches.
"Well, yes. I have, Gil. But Pug
tells me Pm off the road. He's right.
But l want your slant on this. Pm
going in for engineering. Mr.. Ran
tout has sort of set my mind that
way, not by saying anything to me
direct, but by the way he talks when
he's up here. I never saw a more
certain man in my life. He's a big
man, Gil, as big as his bridges, and
now he's going to swing another n
over the river"
IA civil -engineers" Van Horn
looked sidewise at John. "It's a stiff
profession; if you go through the
schools"
81 guess it's part of that fight; in
the city,
you've been thinking about this
a long time?" 1t was a question.
"Of and on for a year, l guess.
I've been worrying Gil. I'm not sat-
isfed. I'd hate to say it, especially to
Pug after all he's done for me-"
you've told me a lot about the
Bowery, John, and a lot about the
East Side. It's the river I'd like to
hear, about" Van Horn spoke, halt
ingly.
"Well, Gil, there's not much to
tell. My mother was everything on
the river. Now hat l know more,
l realize she was not able to help me.
Gil, she was beautiful" Johns eyes
held a far-away look. "Her name
was Harriet, Harriet Jones, of Har-
versrraw. I know, now from what
l can recall, from things l heard,
Breen was not my father. John spoke
slowly. He relit his pipe, and look
ed off over the d~arkening valley; it
was late afternoon and cloudy.
Gilbert Van Horn looked off too,
far away. He dared not look at John.
Gilbert knew more than John Breen.
"My mother was a good woman,
Gil. l know that"
"Of course she was, and your faith
er, John, he might be found" the
older man still looked away, his voice
was very low.
eff l found him, Gil"
eyes, john" the words were
expectant. The boy paused intense.
I'd kill hm!" John Breen rose abb
ruptly, his fists clenched, his face
flaming.
Then the two men stepped off, at
a brisk pace, down the hill toward
Greenbough Farm. Van Horn welk-
ed a pace or so behind John; tears
were in his eyes, he could lot speak.
The boy started to dogtrot ahead Of
him, but he did not follow as was
their custom at the end of a hike.
Hey, Jack" Pug pounded at
Johns door a few days later. Char
lies brought up a letter from Van
Horn. A special on it, for you"
Pug burst into Johns room.
"Well?" Pug was expectant, as
full of curiosity as Eve.
"Read it, Pug"
what tha-say, John, l don't
know. What's it about?"
"Here, let me read it. Dear
John It's about a talk we had the
other day before he left. Dear
John, I have been thinking about
what you said. I won a lot on you
in those scraps, and have been try
ing to figure a way in which could
use the money. If you will enter
Columbia, this fall, I'll see you
through engineering. You can pass
the entrance, perhaps with a few o n
ditions. Pm placing a credit in
Pug's name for five thousand, to
pay the way. Don't hesitate to take
this. You really earned every cent
of it. Merely a little speculation of
mine.
"'I'm sailing on the St. Louis to-
morrow. Will be at sea when you
get the letter. Going abroad for a
few months with my niece Jose
phine."
Pug sat on the cot, looked around
the room, the rickety book shelves:
the familiar figure of his assistant.
Great God, John l knew them damn
I'LL altman ~ l,ro