"I'm going to Aiken, I tell you!"
Stephen's voice in answer expressed an eager desire to placate.
"There's no reason why you shouldn't."
"Are you going with me?"
"I can't."
"You can!" Uncontradicted Hilda went on more loudly, "It's on account of the woman in your office!"
"That's one of the reasons. I certainly can't let her go blind."
"You are shameless—shameless!"
Ellen closed the door softly. When her knees would carry her, she went slowly to the third story. Fetzer sat behind her closed door; she kept Stephen's worst troubles a secret from herself when that was possible. She surmised with distress that they had recently grown more acute. Now she opened the door quickly.
"Did you just come in, Ellen?"