Nelson released him and stepped back.
“I came here to tell you because I don’t want you to say I ever did anything behind your back, Mike,” he said palely.
Connie threw her arms around her father, looking up into his face.
“Darling, you know darn well you haven’t any real reason for not liking Steve.”
“I know it’s all on account of your wanting Connie to have the best, Mike,” Nelson said. “I know I’m not a millionaire maybe, but—”
“We’ll have enough,” Connie put on. “Even” — she looked at Steve nervously, the shadow of her fear passing over her face — “even if he didn’t fight tomorrow night.”
“I’ll be in plenty good shape to take care of a wife,” Nelson grinned. “Especially after tomorrow night.”
Grady gazed at him a moment with lacklustre eyes. Then he pushed Connie away, grabbed his hat from a corner of his desk, jammed it on his head, and stalked to the door.
“Dad, wait!” she cried.
The door slammed behind him.