Those who humanly felt the Judge's behavior to be a trifle flat and unsensational were recompensed late in the afternoon when it became known that Eugene Bantry had resigned his position on the Tocsin.His reason for severing his connection was dumfounding; he had written a formal letter to the Judge and repeated the gist of it to his associates in the office and acquaintances upon the street.He declared that he no longer sympathized with the attitude of the Tocsin toward his step-brother, and regretted that he had previously assisted in emphasizing the paper's hostility to Joe, particularly in the matter of the approaching murder trial.This being the case, he felt that his effectiveness in the service of the paper had ceased, and he must, in justice to the owner, resign.
"Well, I'm damned!" was the simple comment of the elder Louden when his step-son sought him out at the factory and repeated this statement to him.
"So am I, I think," said Eugene, wanly."Good-bye.I'm going now to see mother, but I'll be gone before you come home.""Gone where?""Just away.I don't know where," Eugene answered from the door."I couldn't live here any longer.I--""You've been drinking," said Mr.Louden, inspired."You'd better not let Mamie Pike see you."Eugene laughed desolately."I don't mean to.