Page:Dangerous Business (1927).pdf/287

 wants; the sooner, the better. We have Howarth and they're the sort to stay."

"You have them?"

"Yes. What does it mean to you?"

Ellen's head inclined slowly; she seemed unable to keep it up. Her shoulders wilted; suddenly all her strength was gone and she collapsed over her desk and cried and cried.

Jay stood over her; he put a hand upon her and at touch of her, his anger broke. "Ellen," he whispered to her. "Ellen?"

"I was at that party with Lew, Lew Alban." Now it all came from her. "I swore to myself I'd hold him till you got Howarth. That day—our day under the trees—I swore to hold him for you. He liked me, you see—Lew Alban. So I came here. He called me last night . . . yesterday . . . I went to him to hold him. to Art Slengel's party. . . ."

Jay caught her and bundled her in his arms. How little and light, she was. Dizzy; dizzy, he was, for a second, his heart racing. The door! He carried her to it and, with one of his hands he turned the bolt. But no one was about. It was end of day—their end of day again together.

He looked into her eyes. "Here we are," he whispered, "here we are, you and I."

She lay in his arms, not moving; not clinging to him and not resisting. Not inert! Her heart was throbbing; throbbing. His fingers under her arm felt it—and her breathing. But she touched him not at all with her hands; she had them clasped before her breast; and she said nothing—but looked at him.