As with the rest of the dark, grim songs on this album, the protagonist is left with nothing in the end. A year ago, he has already lost his wife. Now, he is taking the risk of giving up his job in order to save a woman and help her cross the border. However, he does not receive much thankfulness from her part - instead, he never sees her again.
In the end, he has lost everything he had in his life: his work and his love - the two vital parts of a man's life in nearly all of Springsteen's songs.
As with the rest of the dark, grim songs on this album, the protagonist is left with nothing in the end. A year ago, he has already lost his wife. Now, he is taking the risk of giving up his job in order to save a woman and help her cross the border. However, he does not receive much thankfulness from her part - instead, he never sees her again.
In the end, he has lost everything he had in his life: his work and his love - the two vital parts of a man's life in nearly all of Springsteen's songs.