"Then you have punished the innocent and rewarded the guilty."
"So much for taking a thing for granted," said Everton, as he moved, restlessly, about the floor of his office.
So soon as the editor of the —— Journal was alone, he sent for Tompkins, who was in another part of the building. As the young man entered his office, he said to him, in a sharp, abrupt manner,—
"Do you remember certain articles against me that appeared in the Gazette a few months ago?"
The young man, whose face became instantly red as scarlet, stammered out that he did remember them.
"And you wrote them?"
"Ye—ye—yes; bu—but I have regretted it since, very much."
"You can put on your hat and leave my employment as quickly as you please," said Mr. Everton, angrily. He had little control of himself, and generally acted from the spur of the occasion.
Tompkins, thus severely punished for going out of the way to attack a man against whom he entertained a private grudge, beat a hasty retreat, and left Mr. Everton in no very comfortable frame of mind.
On being so unceremoniously dismissed from employment, Mr. Ayres, who was by nature morbidly sensitive, shrank into himself, and experienced a most painful feeling of helplessness. He was not of a cheerful, confident, hopeful disposition. He could not face the world, and battle for his place in it, like many other men. A little thing discouraged him. To be thrust out of his place so unceremoniously—to be turned off for another, stung him deeply. But the worst of all was, the supply of bread for his family was cut off, and no other resource was before him.