“I have been made the bearer of a message to you. Mr. Blakeley says that he would like to see you at the Argus office at nine o’clock this evening.”
Herbert’s face flushed at this unexpected announcement. It was the first time that he had heard from Blakeley either directly or indirectly, since the dramatic incident which terminated his career on the newspaper. At first the message filled him with a sense of elation; but this was quickly followed by a feeling of resentment. His face hardened, and he said with much dignity:
“If Mr. Blakeley desires to communicate with me, or to call upon me, he knows my address. I—”
“Now see here,” quickly interrupted Tomlin, “I don’t want any of this nonsense from you. I don’t care what you do or what you say to Blakeley; but I don’t propose to have you make me look silly and ridiculous.”
Herbert melted in a minute. The distress and annoyance in his friend’s face changed his whole manner.
“I wouldn’t offend you for a moment, Tomlin,” he said; “you have been such a good friend to me that there isn’t anything in the world that I would not do to serve you. I had felt a bit angry towards Blakeley, but I could not hold anything but the kindest feelings toward you. If you say go, I’ll go in a minute.”
Tomlin’s answer was clear, crisp and to the point. He simply said in his loudest voice:
“Go!”
At nine o’clock that evening Herbert found himself ascending the stairway toward the local room of the Argus. When he entered, a number of the men were busily engaged at their desks; but they all looked up and gave him a cheery greeting. The old familiar scenes coming upon him unexpectedly seemed to rush through his memory like floods of water surging over a falls. Blakeley, as usual, occupied his desk in the corner of the room. He looked quite lifelike to Herbert as he sat there puffing a strong cigar, with his feet cocked up on the edge of his desk, reading a proof that had just been rushed down from the composing room.
The moment he perceived Herbert he moved his feet from the desk, arose from his chair, and extending his hand, said with considerable cordiality: