Micky rather doubted it, but did not like to say so.
"If you knew how sick I am about the whole business," Ashton went on jerkily. "You may not believe me, but I tell you, Micky, that I'd marry that girl to-morrow if only----"
"If only--what?" Micky asked as he paused.
"Oh, you know! What the dickens can I do without a bob to my name except what the mater chooses to dole out? I tell you," he went on with a sort of snarl, "it'll be very different when I get the money. Gad! if only I'd got it now!"
"Money isn't everything," said Micky sententiously. "And if you like the girl, why not marry her and face it out?"
"It's all very fine for you to say that money isn't everything--that's only because you've got it, and are never likely to be without it. You don't know what it feels like to be up to your eyes in debt and not knowing where to turn for a fiver. Bah! what's the good of talking?" He let down the window with a run, turning his face to the keen night air.
They were nearing their destination, and there was still something he wanted to say to Micky which so far, he had been afraid to put into words.
"Well, I suppose I shan't be seeing you again for a bit," he said, with rather a forced laugh. "You've been a good pal to me, Micky----"
Micky said "Rot!" rather shortly; he frowned in the darkness; Ashton got on his nerves; he rather wished he had not come to see him off.
"Oh, but you have--whether you like me to say so or not," the other man went on obstinately. "And--and there's one last thing I'm going to ask you before I go...."
The taxi was turning into the station yard now, moving slowly because of the congested traffic.
"If you could give Lallie some money," Ashton went on with a rush. "I'd send her some, but I've only just got enough to get out of the way with. I'll pay you back as soon as the mater condescends to send me another cheque...."
"Hasn't she--hasn't she got any, then?" he asked with an effort.
"No--at least I promised her some when I saw her this morning. She--she's left Eldred's. You see"--he drew a hard breath--"you see, I hoped we'd be able to get married, and so--well, there was no sense in her staying on there. She was worked to death, poor kid."
He glanced at Micky, but could not see his face.