He led her back to her chair. It occurred to her that if he hadn’t done that she must have sunk to the floor and been carried. She thought she would have liked that. Yet she had the courage to sit erect and smile at him.
“Did you pass all right, dear?” she questioned.
“Yes,” he said dully; “I passed.”
“Oh, Billy, that’s good. I was afraid you might have been overdoing. I wondered. I’m awfully glad, dear.” It was a supreme show of pathetic courage.
He revolted.
“Jennie,” he exclaimed, “I wish to Heaven I’d failed! You’re going out on your feet. I can see it. I confess, I never in my life hoped for anything as I hoped today that Weyman would turn me down! I’ve told Norris about this—he’s the only one that knows. And he said one night that something always turned up. I thought it might be true. I thought the 609 would be the thing. It only proves that Norris⸺”
“No, Billy dear. It only proves what I have told you—the air needs you, even more than I.”
“It isn’t so Jennie! I know it isn’t so. I’m going to quit. You come first!”
“You are not, Billy Cobb!! That was settled a month ago. You know you’re not. I understand, dear—how you feel. But it can’t be. I won’t permit it. Now come in to lunch and don’t let’s discuss anything gloomier than October. You promise?”
There was nothing else he could do. They went in silently. The colonel was already at table.