She'll force you to the top in spite of yourself."
"I'm not sure I like that. It doesn't sound good."
"Oh, don't misconstrue what I've said," Runnels hastened to add.
"She isn't that sort."
"I didn't mean that," said Kirk, briefly, and lapsed into a
silence from which he roused only to discuss the details of his
coming work.
It was with quite a different eye that he looked upon his host
and hostess that evening. To his genuine liking for the latter was
now added a worshipful admiration and a boyish gratification at
her regard, which rather put her at a distance. When she
questioned him on their way to the Plaza for the band concert
later in the evening, he told her of his trip and of Runnels'
kindness.
"It's all settled," said he. "I'm going to work in a few days as
train collector."
"What?" Mrs. Cortlandt turned upon him sharply. "Runnels didn't
offer you that sort of position?" Her eyes were dark with
indignation. Kirk promptly came to the defence of his new friend.
"No, I asked for it."
"Oh, I see. Well, he will do much better by you than that."
"I don't want anything better to start with."
"But, my dear boy, a collector is merely a conductor. He takes
tickets."
"Sure! I can DO that. I might fail at something hard.
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