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THE BREATH OF SCANDAL

"I see; good you knew, Gregg. I'm going to Marjorie."

Gregg grasped Bill's sleeve and held him, but was unable to say anything more for he saw that Billy suspected nothing; and if he tried here and now to tell the whole truth to Bill, what a smash he would make of any chance he had of guarding Marjorie! Whatever else might happen, to tell Billy now was simply impossible; for Billy at first would be knocked out absolutely flat, just as Jim Cuncliffe had said; he would be useless and worse than useless to Marjorie at this moment; and then, he would try to take the affair into his own hands. No, to tell Bill was impossible.

Yet Billy must go with them; there would be no way to avoid that. And if he delayed Billy here much longer, Marjorie would come upstairs looking for him.

"What is it, Gregg?" Billy demanded.

"I'm taking you in my car," Gregg replied, weakly. "You get your coat and send for Marjorie's. It's better not to say anything to anybody and not to let her, till we find out just how things are. You see?"

"Of course."

"All right. I'll be at the door for you in five minutes."