At
first Kirk was inclined to take it as a joke, but his friend
quickly brought him to a more serious frame of mind.
"No," he said, "Blakeley has finally put it over. He's wanted this
position for a long time, and I guess the Cortlandts weren't
strong enough to prevent it--or else they have broken with the
Colonel."
"Didn't he promise you the job?"
"Sure! But what are promises? I've been double-crossed, that's
all. It means I must quit."
"Of course. I'm trying to figure out what it will mean to me."
Runnels smiled grimly. "The same thing it would mean to me if I
stayed, I'd go back to my desk; in a month I'd have a row with
Blakeley, no matter what I did; then I'd be fired and have a tough
time getting a job with another railroad. Of course, the
Cortlandts might do more for you than they would for me, and you
might be able to hang on."
"Then this would seem to end our fine hopes, eh?"
"Rather!" Runnels broke out, bitterly. "I've worked like a nigger,
Kirk, and I deserve promotion if anybody ever did. This other
fellow is a dub--he has proven that. Why, I've forgotten more
railroading than he'll ever know. Every man on the system hates
him and likes me; and on top of it all I was PROMISED the job.
It's tough on the wife and the kid.
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