THE COST—WHO PAYS
voices outside. But I don't think either of us noticed much what was being said then.
Then Dave let out a long shivering sigh, still sitting up straight, the tears running down the white face. No laughing now. I was glad for the tears!
"Daddy," says he, "you ought have told me that Jon loved Evelyn before I came—you haven't played fair with me, daddy—not any of the three of you."
I tried to lie.
"It wasn't much between them, Davy," says I. "I don't think it amounted to anything—for sure."
"Ah, yes! If I had only stayed away with my habit of taking things that don't belong to me!"
He flung out his hands, in agony, toward the plum trees!
"Poor old Jonthy! Poor old Jonthy! I wouldn't have taken her from you for all the world! I didn't know, Jonthy, I didn't know! I would have cut my own heart out first! The one great thing in your dear life!"
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