“Sidney? No.”
“Then, if he gets better, she'll marry him anyhow.”
“Possibly. That's not up to us, Joe. The thing we've got to do is to hush the thing up, and get you away.”
“I'd go to Cuba, but I haven't the money.”
K. rose. “I think I can get it.”
He turned in the doorway.
“Sidney need never know who did it.”
“I'm not ashamed of it.” But his face showed relief.
There are times when some cataclysm tears down the walls of reserve between men. That time had come for Joe, and to a lesser extent for K. The boy rose and followed him to the door.
“Why don't you tell her the whole thing?—the whole filthy story?” he asked. “She'd never look at him again. You're crazy about her. I haven't got a chance. It would give you one.”