Deacon Baxter discovered everything this afternoon, like
the old fox that he is, and turned Patty out of the house."
"Mean old skinflint!" exclaimed Rod excitedly, all the incipient
manhood rising in his ten-year-old breast. "Is she gone to live
with the Wilsons?"
"The Wilsons don't know yet that Mark is married to her, but I
met him driving like Jehu, just after I had left Patty, and told
him everything that had happened, and did my best to cool him
down and keep him from murdering his new father-in-law by showing
him it would serve no real purpose now."
"Did he look married, and all different?" asked Rod curiously.
"Yes, he did, and more like a man than ever he looked before in
his life. We talked everything over together, and he went home at
once to break the news to his family, without even going to take
a peep at Patty. I couldn't bear to have them meet till he had
something cheerful to say to the poor little soul. When I met her
by Uncle Bart's shop, she was trudging along in the snow like a
draggled butterfly, and crying like a baby."
Sympathetic tears dimmed Rodman's eyes. "I can't bear to see
girls cry, Ivory. I just can't bear it, especially Patty."
"Neither can I, Rod. I came pretty near wiping her eyes, but
pulled up, remembering she wasn't a child but a married lady.
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