Well, now we come to the point."
"Isn't Patty's being married the point?"
"No, only part of it. Patty's being sent away from home leaves
Waitstill alone with the Deacon, do you see? And if Patty is your
favorite, Waitstill is mine--I might as well own up to that."
"She's mine, too," cried Rod. "They're both my favorites, but I
always thought Patty was the suitablest for me to marry if she'd
wait for me. Waitstill is too grand for a boy!"
"She's too grand for anybody, Rod. There isn't a man alive that's
worthy to strap on her skates."
"Well, she's too grand for anybody except--" and here Rod's shy,
wistful voice trailed off into discreet silence.
"Now I had some talk with Patty, and she thinks Waitstill will
have no trouble with her father just at present. She says he
lavished so much rage upon her that there'll be none left for
anybody else for a day or two. And, moreover, that he will never
dare to go too far with Waitstill, because she's so useful to
him. I'm not afraid of his beating or injuring her so long as he
keeps his sober senses, if he's ever rightly had any; but I don't
like to think of his upbraiding her and breaking her heart with
his cruel talk just after she's lost the sister that's been her
only companion.
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