THE GIRL AND THE GAME
lege, and I'm a big awkward kid, and— But I haven't been all alone all the time! Did you think I had? Listen.
I think I was groaning to myself. I didn't mind the pain much, but it feels better to make a noise. I'll bet you do, too, when you are alone. At any rate, the door was open, and I heard some one say (it's a smooth voice), "Does it hurt very much?"
I looked around. There she was, standing in the middle of the hall, just outside my room. I looked away again. "I'm sorry I disturbed you," I said.
She didn't seem to hear that. "Doesn't it hurt awfully?" she said, twitching her shoulders and pinching her left hand with her right; for I had looked round again.
I watched her a minute. Then I said, "I don't want your pity." That was a lie.
"But it does," she said. "I am so sorry." She came nearer. "Oh, don't get up; you mustn't," she said, backing off down the hall. "I was—was just passing by, and— Don't try to get up, please! Oh, Billy, what have you done?"
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