“Everyone,” said Herbert with a bitter smile, “at least everyone that is worth considering.”
“Well, what are your prospects?”
“I have no prospects.”
“No prospects—not even in the future?”
“No,” retorted Herbert, the anger in his heart making him raise his voice to a high pitch; “not even in the future. To be plain with you, Tomlin, they all know about the circumstances under which I left the Argus, and they refuse to have anything to do with me. I am blacklisted. Do you understand that? I am blacklisted, and a disgraced man.”
The tone of Herbert’s voice no less than what he said shocked Tomlin very much; but he made no reply, and the two friends sat there for many minutes staring mutely at each other.
CHAPTER XVIII
WHEREIN A BLACK SHEEP SHOWS A DESIRE TO CHANGE HIS COLOR
One morning not long after the conversation which has been recorded in the previous chapter, Tomlin said to Herbert:
“See here, old chap, you are not going to throw up the sponge—I know you’re not. You’ve got too much grit and pluck for any such thing as that.”
“What do you mean?” asked Herbert, staring at him in an unmeaning way.