Page:The Breath of Scandal (1922).djvu/317

 always hurt, too. He found some satisfaction also, she thought.

"Have trouble getting here, Gregg?"

"No," he replied slowly. "Not after I got your note. I found your place easily enough and succeeded in convincing your hard-boiled friend I was the party of first address, though I wouldn't exactly classify her as cursed with a foolishly trustful disposition."

Marjorie laughed and explained proudly, "That was Clara Seeley, my roommate. You see, after last night, Billy came again this morning and was waiting when I got home; I didn't go to work to-day. When Clara was back from work, I thought I'd come down here for some quiet and I told her, if you came, to send you."

They had dropped hands and they stood frankly looking each other over.

"When did you happen on your natural protector?"

"Oh, I've had her from the first; we've been together all the time."

"Both of you've been in luck," Gregg said and tossed his hat a little way from them on the sand. "What was that work you didn't go to to-day? What—d'you want to tell me, Marjorie, about you—what you've been at and what"

"I want to tell you everything." That was it, she realized with herself at this moment; and she sat down on the sand, clasping his hand again and drawing him down beside her. "But first I want to know what's been happening with you, Gregg?"

"All right," agreed Gregg; and he drew a penny from his pocket. "We'll pitch for it; heads, you tell me first; tails, I tell you." And he spun it upwards and let it fall before them on the sand; and they both bent forward to see it.