With Bob McGibbon gunning for Charlie and demanding an accounting of the town money! Gee!'
'I did some. The old man polished it off himself.'
'Of course. But it brought you a raise to twelve a week. That's something.'
'You don't understand. It was my work. And it was true. I wrote the truth.'
Henry considered this, bent over as if to read further, twisted his flushed face as if in pain, then abruptly sprang up.
'What's become of it--the piece I wrote?'
'Well, Hen--I didn't feel that we had a right to destroy the thing. Too dam good! In a sense, it's the old man's property; in another sense, it's yours----'
'In a sense. At any rate, I took it on myself to have a copy made confidentially. Then I turned the original over to Mr Boice. He doesn't know.'
'Just hold your horses a minute, Hen----'
Humphrey threw up a hand, then opened a drawer. He handed over the typewritten manuscript.
'Gertie Wombast. I warned her to keep her mouth shut.'
'Oh, see here, Hen--I won't talk to you! Not till you get over this excitement.'
Humphrey gave a shrug. Henry, gripping the roll of manuscript, started out.
'Wait a minute, Hen! What do you think you're going to do?'
'What do you s'pose? Only one thing I _can_ do!'
'No, I wouldn't. Not in any such rush as that. It's upsetting to have your good work pawed over and cut to pieces, but twelve a week is----'
'Oh, Hump, it's everything! He's made it impossible for me. I could stand some of it, but not all this. He ain't fair! He _wants_ to make it hard for me! He's just thinking up ways to be mean. And he's spoiled my work--best thing I've ever done in my life! And now people will never know how well I can write.'
'No, they won't. I'll never feel just that way again. It's a feeling that comes. And then it goes. You can't do anything about it. It was Corinne and the way I felt about her. And a lot o' things. Seemed to make me different. Lifted me up. I was red-hot.' He reached out and struck the paper from the table to the floor. 'You bet I'll go to old Boice! 'I'll tell him a thing or two I He'll know something's happened before he gets through with me. I've had something to say to him for a good while. Going to say it now. Guess he don't know I'll be twenty-one in November. Have a little money then. He can't put it over me. I'll buy his old paper. Or start another one. I'll make the town too hot for him. Thinks he owns all Sunbury. But he _don't!_'