now gone." "Perhaps he was my father ...

did you know my father ?" I felt a thrill go through me.

Was this new-found acquaintance before me a friend of my father's?
It turned out to be so.

But why "poor fellow"?
Clayton was not over thirty-two, therefore my father's junior by some years.

How well had they known each other?
We went to dinner together.
We were served with bacon and greens, strong coffee, apple pie.