"If they knew!" he thought. "It's only out of the frying pan into the fire for him, poor wretch!"
As the cab started the young man never so much as looked up. He half sat, half lay in the corner of the cab like an old man in whom the last spark of life is almost quenched. His eyes were open, yet they saw nothing. He seemed to be quite indifferent as to where Greg was taking him; he seemed not to care whether he were in jail or out again. Greg, who had never seen a human creature so beaten down, scarcely knew how to act towards him. His heart was touched by the sight of such utter wretchedness, but to offer him sympathy would have been both cruel and hypocritical. On the other hand he could not hit the man while he was down by letting him see that his crime was known. For the present it seemed best merely to try to restore him by warmth, food and sleep, until he was better able to meet his fate like a man.
The young man himself broke the silence. "You would have done better to let me go," he muttered. He spoke with a slight foreign accent.
"Buck up!" said Greg. "Nothing's so bad but what it might be worse." To Greg while he uttered them the words sounded hollow, addressed to one in this young man's position, but he had to say something.
"I suppose I ought to thank you," said the other with weary bitterness.
"You needn't trouble about that," said Greg grimly.
"If you want to do me a real kindness, stop the man and let me out. I can still walk to the river."
"Mustn't talk like that," said Greg. "There's food and warmth waiting for you. Let that do you for the present."
Hickey drove into the yard, and Greg hustled the young man directly into Bessie's kitchen. Bull Tandy and Ginger McAfee were sitting there one on each side of the table, smoking and enjoying their unwonted evening of leisure. Bessie the monumental was wiping dishes. They had been discussing the case all evening, and still had plenty to talk about when lo! Greg provided them with a fresh sensation. The two men stared at the ghastly and bedraggled figure with pipes half way to their mouths; Bessie held plate and towel in the air.
"Good land! who is he?" she exclaimed.