“He’s gone.
“I’m afraid I must ask you to help me home, then. I’ll make it worth your while. You see.” The sightless eyes turned towards her and Bessie saw.
“It isn’t taking you out of your way?” he said hesitatingly. “I can ask a policeman if it is.”
“Not at all. I come on at seven and I’m off at four. That’s easy hours.”
“Good God!—but I’m on all the time. I wish I had some work to do too.
Let’s go home, Bess.”
He turned and cannoned into a man on the sidewalk, recoiling with an oath. Bessie took his arm and said nothing—as she had said nothing when he had ordered her to turn her face a little more to the light. They walked for some time in silence, the girl steering him deftly through the crowd.
“And where’s—where’s Mr. Torpenhow?” she inquired at last.
“He has gone away to the desert.”
“Where’s that?”