Page 166 (2/2)

unfortunate, that was all And the father was a Gerht

to be beaten hiht her

to such a pass! A leather strap! God!

He was vaguely uneasy, however He had a sense of a situation being

forced on hi for him at the new

plant But Anna's trouble, absurd as its cause seemed to him, was his

responsibility

It ceased to be absurd, however, when he saw her discolored features It

would be some time before she could even look for another situation Her

face was a swollen mask, and since such attraction as she had had for

him had been due to a sort of evanescent prettiness of youth, he felt a

repulsion that he tried his best to conceal

"You poor little thing!" he said "He's a brute I'd like--" He clenched

his fists "Well, I got you into it I'h"

She had lowered her veil quickly, and he felt easier The telephone

booth was in the corner of a quiet hotel, and they were alone He patted

her shoulder