"That accounts for his calling me up—looking for you. You had him worried."
"Then I got to thinking," said Bonbright, ignoring the interruption. "I was going back because it seemed as if I HAD to go back. You understand? As if there was something that compelled me to stick by the Family…."
"How long have you been going to marry this girl?"
"She said she would marry me to-night."
"Engaged to-night—and you're going to marry to-morrow?"
"Yes….And I went home to tell father. Mother was there—"
Lightener sucked in his breath. He could appreciate what Bonbright's mother's presence would contribute to the episode.
"—and she was worse than father. She—it was ROTTEN, Mr. Lightener—ROTTEN. She said she'd never receive Ruth as her daughter, and that she'd see she was never received by anybody else, and she—she FORCED father to back her up….There wasn't anything for me to do but get out….I didn't begin to wonder how I was going to support Ruth till it was all over with."
"That's the time folks generally begin to wonder."
"So I came right here—because you CAN give me a job if you will—and I've got to have one to-night. I've got to know to-night how I'm going to get food and a place to live for Ruth."