haps because she, like Gregg, had been a lone child; no girl had ever become sister to her as Billy had become brother to Gregg, but she could realize what it would mean if some one had. Now to-night, imagining Gregg, she saw him thinking about Billy, worrying about Billy,—not at all about himself; she could feel him wanting to return to Billy and to speak with him, wholly understanding him. And she saw Gregg thinking also of her, worrying about her, comprehending her and caring so much—so much, and yet holding himself back always, losing and giving up for her.
For, without meaning to or without being aware that he had done it, Billy to-night had told her something of how much Gregg cared; for one item, Gregg had lost his job because of her. This she learned when Billy accused her of clinging to a course of concealment which had forced—the word was Billy's—forced Gregg to take Russell away from the city to protect her and her father; that involved Gregg in absence from his office for a week and a return, battered up and without any explanation that he could offer, at a time when all an employer wanted was an excuse to let a man out. Then, through the calumny which Billy heaped on Gregg for having known her plan and having kept it secret, she had glimpses of Gregg "inanely walking the streets"—the words again were Billy's—while he looked and hoped for her instead of taking the direct, effective action which Billy had.
But Gregg, being Gregg, could not have done anything else; she had held him helpless by confiding to him,—helpless to use her confidence for himself, helpless to do more than walk the streets, searching for her and writing her through Rinderfeld, as he had. And so, after losing his job because of her, he had lost
