“Was it Father’s fault he was discharged?”
“He was the one who discovered the theft, I believe. Another employee had been blamed.”
“Thomas Brown.”
“Why, yes,” Mrs. Evans acknowledged in surprise. “But how did you know, Jimmy? I don’t recall ever having mentioned it before.”
Flash explained that he had fallen into conversation with the old man on the bus. However, he did not worry his mother by revealing why he was so eager for additional information.
“Did you ever hear what became of Dick Ronne after he was discharged from the Post?” he questioned. “Was he sent to jail?”
“No, your father persuaded the owner of the paper to take a lenient attitude. Later he was glad that he did for the boy died. It was an unfortunate case.”
“What caused the boy’s death, Mother?”
“I can’t tell you that because I never was particularly interested. I remember your father went to see him at the hospital, and for his kindness received a bitter tongue lashing from the boy’s father.”
“You never saw the man yourself, I suppose?”