"Y--y--yes," Horry answered. He seemed very much relieved. "H--h--he has g--g--gam--m--mbled almost ev--v--ver s--s--since h--he's b--b--been th--th--there," he added. And he went on in as much haste as he could manage, which was not so very much. Neither he nor Harry had been in Charlie's confidence. Most of the fellows didn't care a rap, of course, and didn't pay attention; but--but Harry and he had cared and--and--they had--and Horry got very red again and stopped in confusion. Sally smiled upon him. "Thank you for caring, Horry," she said gently. "Was that what you seemed to have on your mind all last summer? I thought you wanted to tell me something." He nodded. "I wonder why you didn't. I should have been grateful." "C--c--couldn't b--bear to. We d--d--did t--tell D--D--Dick. C--c--came d--d--down on p--p--purpose. J--j--just b--bef--f--fore he g--g--got m--married. I s--s--s'pose he f--f--forg--got a--ab--b--bout it." "He must have," sighed Sally. "It isn't like Dick. Now, if you will tell me all you know, I will promise not to forget about it." Accordingly, Horry unburdened his soul of the whole story, so far as he knew it, and Sally listened in silence, only nodding now and then. What was there to be said? Horry was grateful for her listening and for her silence and he stuttered less as he went on. "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."