Forbes was saying something about his grandfather and the Business. Luke got up.
"There's no use your wasting your breath," he declared. "Nothing that you could say would change me—no, nothing that even Betty could say! But I'll do this: I'll never be away from the factory again when I ought to be there; I'll stand by you till we've beaten these strikers or till they've ruined us."
He walked out of the room and closed the door before Forbes could answer him, and he walked into Betty's arms.
§3. "Luke," she whispered, "what was the matter this morning? Won't you tell me, dear?"
He felt the blood mount hotly to his head. Her hair was sweet to his nostrils.
"Don't," he said sharply.
"But, Luke——"
He drew her hands from his neck. He imprisoned her wrists in his grasp.
"I don't quite know what's the matter—yet," he said. "It's all come too suddenly. But, Betty—O, Betty, I don't believe I'm the man for you!"
She asked him what he meant, and he could not tell her. She pressed him, and he could only repeat his conviction.