“Yes.”
“Then I would consider myself still on the staff until Mr. Riley discharged me.”
Flash refused to be cheered. “I was in bad even before this happened,” he said gloomily. “No use going after my pay check. I’ll let the cashier mail it.”
Next morning when the alarm clock jingled at six-thirty, Flash aroused only to shut it off and fall back on his pillow. With no job awaiting him he could stay in bed as long as he liked. His muscles were battered and sore from the ordeal of the previous day. He felt as if he could sleep forever.
For a time, thoughts raced rampant in his tortured mind. Then he dropped off into troubled slumber again to be tormented by wild nightmares. He awoke once more to find himself gasping for breath and clawing the bed clothes.
His sister, Joan, was pounding on the door.
“Get up, lazy bones!” she called. “It’s ten after eight.”
Flash groaned and rolled over. “Go away and leave me alone,” he mumbled drowsily, burying his head deeper into the pillow.
“You’re wanted on the telephone!” screamed Joan at the top of her lungs. “It’s the Ledger office!”
Flash leaped from bed. Pulling on his robe, he took the stairs two at a time, and snatched up the telephone receiver.