said a voice.
It was Steve. A subdued and furtive Steve. Kirk's heart leaped at the
sight of him. It was as if he had found something solid to cling to in
a shifting world.
'Come in, Steve.'
He spoke huskily. Steve sidled into the studio, embarrassment written
on every line of him.
'Don't mind my butting in, do you? I've been walking up and down and
round the block till every cop on the island's standing by waiting for
me to pull something. Another minute and they'd have pinched me on
suspicion. I just felt I had to come and see how Miss Ruth was making
out.'
'The doctor was down here just now. He said everything was going well.'
'I guess he knows his business.'
There was a silence. Kirk's ears were straining for sounds from above.
'It's hell,' said Steve.
Kirk nodded. This kind of talk was more what he wanted. The doctor
meant well, but he was too professional. Steve was human.
'Go and get yourself a drink, Steve. I expect you need one.'
Steve shook his head.
'Waggon,' he said briefly. And there was silence again.
'Say, Kirk.'
'Yes?'
'What a wonder she is. Miss Ruth, I mean. I've helped her throw that
medicine-ball , often , you wouldn't believe. She's a wonder.' He paused.
'Say, this is hell, ain't it?'
Kirk did not answer. It was very quiet in the studio now. In the street
outside a heavy waggon rumbled part. Somebody shouted a few words of a
popular song. Steve sprang to his feet.
'I'll fix that guy,' he said. But the singing ceased, and he sat down
again.
Kirk got up and began to walk quickly up and down. Steve watched him
furtively.
'You want to take your mind off it,' he said. 'You'll be all in if you
keep on worrying about it in that way.'
Kirk stopped in his stride.
'That's what the doctor said,' he snapped savagely. 'What do you two
fools think I'm made of?' He recovered himself quickly, ashamed of the
outburst. 'I'm sorry, Steve. Don't mind anything I say. It's awfully
good of you to have come here, and I'm not going to forget it.'
Steve scratched his chin reflectively.
'Say, I'll tell you something,' he said. 'My mother told me once that
when I was born my old dad took it just like you. Found he was getting
all worked up by having to hang around and do nothing, so he says to
himself: 'I've got to take my mind off this business, or it's me for
the foolish-house.'
'Well, sir, there was a big guy down on that street who'd been picking
on dad good and hard for a mighty long while. And this guy suddenly
comes into dad's mind. He felt of his muscle, dad did. 'Gee!' he says
