noon
Finally he glanced up at Billy who was just rising from his ablutions . Hastily Bridge tore from the paper the article that had attracted his interest , folded it , and stuffed it into one of his pockets -- he had not had time to finish the reading and he wanted to save the article for a later opportunity for careful perusal . That evening Bridge sat for a long time scrutinizing Billy through half-closed lids , and often he found his eyes wandering to the red ring about the other 's wrist ; but whatever may have been within his thoughts he kept to himself . It was noon when the two sauntered into Kansas City . Billy had a dollar in his pocket -- a whole dollar . He had earned it assisting an automobilist out of a ditch . `` We 'll have a swell feed , '' he had confided to Bridge , `` an ' sleep in a bed just to learn how much nicer it is sleepin ' out under the black sky and the shiny little stars . ''