"There!" he concluded. "N—now you kn—n—now all I d—do. I'm p—p—pumped dry, Sally, and I'm g—glad to g—g—get it off my m—mind."
"Thank you," said she; and she relapsed into silence and fell to looking out again.
Horry sat still, waiting for her to say something more; but she did not and he got up, at last.
"If y—you h—have n—noth—th—thing more t—to ask me, S—Sally—"
Sally turned toward him quickly. "Horry," she said, interrupting him, "do you know where Charlie goes—to gamble?" It was an effort for her to say it.
"Y—yes," he replied, blushing furiously again, but not avoiding her eyes. "I've b—b—been th—there."
"Oh, Horry! And aren't you ashamed?"
"N—n—not es—s—specially. O—only w—w—went once, t—to l—l—look on, you know. Th—thought I'd l—like to s—see the p—p—place once. I didn't p—play." Horry shook his head. "I h—haven't g—g—got the b—bug. Kn—n—new I w—was safe."
Sally seemed to be puzzled. "The bug? Do you mean—"
"The f—f—fever, Sally," he answered, laughing at her bewilderment; "the sickness—disease of ga—ga—gambling. It's j—j—just as much a dis—s—ease as the small-pox. Or c—con—sumption. Th—that's b—b—better, bec—c—cause it lasts l—l—onger and it g—gets w—w—worse and w—worse."