Y. He only smiled and said: "We'll see if you gain weight
to-morrow." As if that mattered now! Why, I'm way above normal as it
is! But you know Stanton--always putting you off. But I could tell by
the way he said it he'd be willing to consider----

EILEEN (_slowly_). Then--if you gain to-day---

MURRAY. He'll let me go. Yes, I know he will. I'm going to insist on
it.

EILEEN. Then--you'll leave----?

MURRAY. Right away. The minute I can get packed.

EILEEN (_trying to force a smile_). Oh, I'm so glad--for your sake;
but--I'm selfish--it'll be so lonely here without you.

MURRAY (_consolingly_). You'll be going away yourself before long.
(Eileen _shakes her head. He goes on without noticing, wrapped in his
own success._) Oh, Eileen, you can't imagine all it opens up for
me--selling that story. I don't have to go back home to stagnate. I can
go straight to New York, and live, and meet real people who are doing
things. I can take my time, and try and do the work I hope to.
(_Feelingly._) You don't know how grateful I am to you, Eileen--how
you've helped me. Oh, I don't mean just the typing, I mean your
encouragement, your faith! I'd never have had guts enough to stick to
it myself. The stories would never have been written if it hadn't been
for you.

EILEEN (_choking back a sob_). I didn't do--anything.

MURRAY (_staring down at her--with rough kindliness_). Here, here,
that'll never do! You're not weeping about it, are you, silly? (_He
pats her on the shoulder._) What's the matter, Eileen? You didn't eat a
thing this morning. I was watching you. (_With kindly severity._)
That's no way to gain weight, you know. You'll have to feed up. Do you
hear what your guardian commands, eh?

EILEEN (_with dull hopelessness_). I know I'll lose again. I've been
losing steadily the past three weeks.

MURRAY. Here! Don't you dare talk that way! I won't stand for it. Why,
you've been picking up wonderfully--until just lately. You've made such
a game fight for four months. Even the old Doc has told you how much he
admired your pluck, and how much better you were getting. You're not
going to quit now, are you?

EILEEN (_despairingly_). Oh, I don't care! I don't care--now.

MURRAY. Now? What do you mean by that? What's happened to make things
any different?

EILEEN (_evasively_). Oh--nothing. Don't ask me, Stephen.

MURRAY (_with sudden anger_). I don't have to ask you. I can guess.
Another letter from home--or from that ass