"I?" He was genuinely surprised. "Oh, I see. You mean--but my part in

getting Joe off is practically nothing. As a matter of fact, Schwitter

has put up the money. My total capital in the world, after paying the

taxicab to-day, is seven dollars."

"The taxicab?"

"By Jove, I was forgetting! Best news you ever heard of! Tillie married

and has a baby--all in twenty-four hours! Boy--they named it Le Moyne.

Squalled like a maniac when the water went on its head. I--I took Mrs.

McKee out in a hired machine. That's what happened to my capital." He

grinned sheepishly. "She said she would have to go in her toque. I had

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awful qualms. I thought it was a wrapper."

"You, of course," she said. "You find Max and save him--don't look like

that! You did, didn't you? And you get Joe away, borrowing money to send

him. And as if that isn't enough, when you ought to have been getting some

sleep, you are out taking a friend to Tillie, and being godfather to the

baby."

He looked uncomfortable, almost guilty.

"I had a day off. I--"

"When I look back and remember how all these months I've been talking about

service, and you said nothing at all, and all the time you were living what

I preached--I'm so ashamed, K."

He would not allow that. It distressed him. She saw that, and tried to

smile.

"When does Joe go?"

"To-night. I'm to take him across the country to the railroad. I was

wondering--"

"Yes?"

"I'd better explain first what happened, and why it happened. Then if you

are willing to send him a line, I think it would help. He saw a girl in

white in the car and followed in his own machine. He thought it was you,

of course. He didn't like the idea of your going to Schwitter's. Carlotta

was taken ill. And Schwitter and--and Wilson took her upstairs to a

room."

"Do you believe that, K.?"

"I do. He saw Max coming out and misunderstood. He fired at him then."

"He did it for me. I feel very guilty, K., as if it all comes back to me.

I'll write to him, of course. Poor Joe!"

He watched her go down the hall toward the night nurse's desk. He would

have given everything just then for the right to call her back, to take her

in his arms and comfort her. She seemed so alone. He himself had gone

through loneliness and heartache, and the shadow was still on him. He

waited until he saw her sit down at the desk and take up a pen. Then he

went back into the quiet room.




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