Page:The Breath of Scandal (1922).djvu/279



REGG'S business misfortune had occurred several days before; but although many people knew of it, Gregg did not mention it to Bill until a couple of days later than this, as he wanted to save a bit of news as useful for cheering Bill, as that was sure to be, for a particularly depressed occasion. No time with Bill was exactly a cheery one, in these days; yet some evenings found him nearer bottom than others; so when Gregg came into the flat after supper one night and discovered Billy lying motionless on his back on the couch and gazing hopelessly at the ceiling, Gregg tossed his hat away and took a seat just out of the glare of the reading lamp which was uselessly burning.

"Lost your job, Bill?" he suggested quietly; and when Billy paid not the slightest attention, he repeated it patiently until Billy demanded, "What in the world are you talking about?"

"Lost your job, I said," Gregg informed him.

"How could I lose my job?" Billy returned.

"Oh, it can be done," Gregg said cheerfully. "If you're no good at it, there's others that are; lots of others these days. I've done it myself."

"Done what?"

"Lost my job."

Billy slowly turned toward Gregg. "They let you out, you mean?"

"You've guessed it."