But Sam's face was as red as his grandfather's. "She is only ten years

older than I. That is nothing. Nothing at all. If she will overlook my

comparative youth and marry me, I--"

"Damnation!" his grandfather screamed.. "She overlook? She?"

"I am younger," the boy said; "but love isn't a matter of age. It's a

matter of the soul."

"A matter of the soul!" said Benjamin Wright; "a matter of--of a

sugar-tit for a toothless baby! Which is just about what you are. That

female, I tell you could have dandled you on her knee ten years ago."

Sam got up; he was trembling all over.

"You needn't insult me," he said.

Instantly his grandfather was calm. He stopped chewing orange-skin,

and looked hard at his ridgy finger-nails.

"I shall ask her again," Sam said. "I said I wouldn't, but I will. I

must. That was why I came back. And as for my age, that's her business

and mine."

"You've drunk too much," said his grandfather, "Sit down. I've

something to say to you. You can't marry that woman. Do you understand

me?"

"You mean she doesn't care for me?" Sam laughed noisily. "I'll make

her. Old--young--what does it matter? She must!" He flung up his

arms, and then sank down and hid his face in his hands.

"Sammy," said the old man, and stopped. "Sam, it can't be. Don't you

understand me? She isn't fit to marry."

The young man gaped at him, blankly.

"She's--bad," Benjamin Wright said, in a low voice.

"How dare you!" cried the other, his frowning bewilderment changing

slowly to fury; "how dare you? If she had a relative here to protect

her, you would never dare! If her brother was here, he would shoot

you; but she has me, and I--"

"Her brother!" said Benjamin Wright; "Sam, my boy, he isn't her

brother."

"Isn't he?" Sam flung back at him, "well, what of that? I'm glad of

it; I hate him." He stood up, his hands clenched, his head flung back.

"What difference does it make to me what he is? Her cousin, her

friend--what do I care? If she marries me, what do I care for

relations?"

His grandfather looked up at him aghast; the young, insulted innocence

of love blazed in the boy's face. "Gad-a-mercy," said Mr. Wright, in a

whisper, "he doesn't understand!" He pulled himself on to his

shaking legs, and laid his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Sam," he

said very gently, "he is her lover, my boy." Sam's lips fell apart;

he gasped heavily; his hands slowly opened and shut, and he swayed

from side to side; his wild eyes were fixed on that old face, all

softened and moved and pitying. Then, with a discordant shriek of

laughter, he flung out his open hand and struck his grandfather full

in the face.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024