"Have they gone back—McBain and Hurley?" he asked.
Gabe replied in the affirmative. "An' they'll handle it, too—don't you worry!" he added.
King thought seriously for a moment.
"Gabe," he said.
Gabe took the hand that King extended to him and waited.
"Get Anne—and bring her here," he said.
Gabe went out at once and King looked at Cherry, who was standing above him, her hand resting lightly upon his head.
"I want to tell Anne," he said quietly. "I want her to know I didn't want to do this. I want her to understand—it had to come."
"Then she told you, too?" Cherry asked.
King nodded in reply. Then he reached up and took her hand.