"
He stopped to swallow his emotion. He was a single-purposed,
somewhat serious man, a little lacking in resilience, and he could
not meet misfortune with Kirk's careless self-confidence.
"I gave this job the best I had in me," he went on, "for I had the
idea that I was doing something patriotic, something for my
country--that's the way they used to talk about this Canal, you
know. I've put in four years of hell; I've lost step with the
world; I've lost my business connections in the States; and I
haven't saved up any money, I CAN'T quit, and yet I'll have to,
for if I'm fired it'll mean I'll have to go back there and start
at the bottom again. Those people don't know anything about these
damned politics; they'll think I made a failure here in government
work, and I'll have to live it down. Still, I suppose I ought not
to kick--it's happening all the time to other fellows who came
down here with hopes as high as mine--fellows who have given even
more to the job than I have. What are YOU going to do?"
Kirk started. "Oh, I don't know. I was thinking about you. This
job doesn't worry me, for I'm on my feet at last, and I know I
have the goods with me--they can have my position and welcome.
Now, about you. I haven't spent much of that lottery coin.
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