She kissed him.

She wept.
He told her how his ideal had been to fight for Helen, for Lorna, for her, and all American girls.

And then he talked about what he had come home to--of the shock--the realization--the disappointment and grief.
He spoke of his sister Lorna--how he had tried so hard to make her see, and had failed.

He importuned Bessy to help him as only a girl could.

And lastly, he brought the conversation back to her and told her bluntly what he thought of the vile verses, how she dragged her girlhood pride in the filth and made of herself a byword for vicious boys.