"
"It pleased me to give you all the advantages I wanted and couldn't
afford until I was too old and too busy to consider them. Besides, it
was your mother's wish. We made plans for you before you were born,
and I promised her--ah, well, why be a cry-baby? I knew I could
manage until you were ready to settle down to business. And you HAVE
enjoyed your little run, haven't you?" he concluded wistfully.
"I have, Dad." Bryce's great hand closed over the back of his
father's neck; he shook the old man with mock ferocity. "Stubborn old
lumberjack!" he chided.
John Cardigan shook with an inward chuckle, for the loving abuse his
boy had formed a habit of heaping on him never failed to thrill him.
Instinctively Bryce had realized that to-night obvious sympathy
copiously expressed was not the medicine for his father's bruised
spirit; hence he elected to regard the latter's blindness as a mere
temporary annoyance, something to be considered lightly, if at all;
and it was typical of him now that the subject had been discussed
briefly, to resolve never to refer to it again. He released his hold
on the old man's neck and tapped the latter's gray head lightly,
while with his tongue he made hollow-sounding noises against the roof
of his mouth.
"Ha! I thought so," he declared.
Pages:
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77