"I was doing no harm,
sitting across there. Can't a man sneak off for a single look at his
own child--in the dark, at that--without being hounded by--Say, you
must stop dogging me, d' you hear? I'm not a rat. I'm a human being.
I've got feelings. I wanted to have a look at her. She's my girl and--
"
"Not so loud, Brad. Remember who you are with. You are in bad company,
old man. Don't draw attention to the fact. Take a word of advice from
me. Keep away from that house. Don't--"
"I don't want to hear anything more out of you," grated Braddock. "I
know what I'm doing. I'm living up to my promise, ain't I? Didn't I
say I'd see Mary before I--Say," he broke off incontinently, his
thoughts leaping backward, "that was my girl that said good night to
the swells back there--mine! Did you see how prettily she was dressed?
Did you hear how sweet her voice was? I--I--" Something came up in the
man's throat to cut off the words; and a long silence fell between
them.
Not until they were turning into Fourth Avenue did Dick Cronk speak
again. Somehow he felt the emotion that struggled in the breast of the
man beside him.
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