"Wait till she gets through breakfast," insinuated Swanson insultingly. "Going to desert your old pal for a skirt so soon?"
"Aw, shut up," said McCarthy. "I've got to thank her, haven't I?"
Swanson was silent for an instant. A serious expression came over his homely, good-natured face.
"I hope you win her, Kohinoor," he said, simply, putting his big arm across McCarthy's shoulders. "You deserve her—I wanted her myself, once."
Without another word he went over and sat down, picking up a paper, and McCarthy, walking to him, said:
"I'm sorry, Silent, maybe"——
"No maybe about it," said Swanson without looking up, "I lost, long ago."
McCarthy descended two flights of stairs and knocked timidly at the door of the Clancy apartments. He expected to find Betty Tabor with Mrs. Clancy, but the girl was alone, the Clancys not having finished their breakfast.
"Betty," he exclaimed, taking both her outstretched hands, "Betty—I had to come—I wanted to tell you—I love you."
"Oh," she said in surprise, "I"——