For the next half hour Snyder Appleby sat at his own desk, for once in his life hard at work, and feeling that he had been decidedly snubbed if not actually insulted. He was even meditating the handing in of his resignation, when the superintendent again addressed him, but this time in a much more friendly tone.
“You are from Euston, I believe?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you happen to know a young man from there named Rodman Blake?”
“Yes, sir. I have an acquaintance there of that name,” replied Snyder hesitatingly, and wondering what possible interest the “super” could have in Rod Blake. “The fact is,” he added with an assumed air of frankness, “the young person in question is a sort of adopted cousin of my own; but circumstances have arisen that lead me to consider him an undesirable acquaintance.”
“What are they?” inquired the superintendent bluntly.
“It would hardly be becoming in me to state them,” replied Snyder, wishing he knew why the other was making these inquiries. “I should be very sorry to say anything that might injure the young man’s future prospects.”
“Had they anything to do with his leaving Euston, and seeking employment on this road?”
“Yes, sir; I think they had,” admitted Snyder with apparent reluctance.
“Then I consider it your duty to tell me what they are,” said Mr. Hill; “for I have just given young Blake the position of brakeman, and if there is any reason why he is unfit for it I should like to know it.”