"Oh!" Mr. Appleton's expression changed quickly. "You're Murray—" He stammered an instant. "It was very good of you to take my part, after I'd been fool enough to—"
"Well—I didn't want to see you make a total idiot of yourself."
The young man flushed slightly, then in a quieter voice, he asked:
"How did you know I was out of work?"
"Mr. Gordon told me. He recommended you highly."
"He did?"
"He said you were unreliable, disloyal, and dishonest. Coming from him I took that as high praise."
There was a moment's pause, then Appleton laughed boyishly.
"That's funny! I'm very glad to know you, Mr. O'Neil."
"You don't, and you won't for a long time. Tom tells me you didn't think well of Gordon's enterprise and so he fired you."