Nogales international., 1932-09-17
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY.

"l'm getting ready to go back to the
city. I don't know, it seems to me as
ifmy life was to be there, doing some
thing 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 fence rail, un-
der 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 puffs of smoke.
you've studied lot" The older
man had very wholesome regard tor
Johns extraordinary researches.
"Wel1, yes. / have. Gil. But Pug
tells me I'm off the road. He's right.
But I want your slant on this. I'm
going in for engineering. Mr.. Rantoul
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.
never saw a more certain man in my
life. He's big man, Gil. as big as his
bridges, and now he's going to swing
another one over the river"
! "A civil engineers" Van Horn
looked sidewise at john. Its a stiff
profession; if you so through the
schools"
II guess it's part of that fight; in
the city"
You've been thinking about this a
long titne?" 1t was question.
"Of and on for year, guess. I've
been worrying, Gil. I'm not satisfied.
I'd hate to say it, especially to Pug,
after all he's done for me-"
You've told me lot about the
Bowery, Join, and lot about the East
Side. It's the river Id like to hear
about" Van Horn spoke, haltingiy.
We'll, Gil, there's not much to tell.
MY mother was everything on the
river. Now that I know more, real
ize she was rot able to help me. Gil,
she was beautiful" Johns eyes held a
far-away look. Her name was f1ar-
riet, Harriet Jones, of Haverstraw. !
know. now, from what | can recall,
from things l heard. Breen was not
my father. John spoke slowly. He reiit
his pipe, and looked off over the dark
ering valley; it was late afternoon
and cloudy
Gilbert Van Horn looked off too, far
away He dared not look at John. OH
bert knew more than John Breen.
my mother was a good woman, Oil.
| 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.
If found him, Gil"
eyes, Joflr-," the words were
expectant. The boy paused intense.
"T'd XIII him" John Breen rose
abruptly. his fists clerached, his face
flaming.
Then the two men stepped off, at a
brisk pace. down the hill toward
Greenbough Farm. Van Horn walked
a pace or so behind John; tears were
in his eyes, he could not speak. The
boy started to dogtrot ahead of him,
but he did not follow as was their
custom at the end of hike.
"Tfey, Jack" Pug pounded at Johns
door a few days later. Charles
brought up 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, I don't know
What's it about? ?"
Here, let me read it. Dear John.
It's about talk we had the day be-
fore ne left. Dear John, | have been
thinking about what you said. | won
lot on you in those scraps, and have
been trying to figure 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 conditions. I'm
placing a credit in Pug's name for five
thousand, to pay the way. Don't hesi-
tate to take this. You really earned
|