Page:War; or, What happens when one loves one's enemy, John Luther Long, 1913.djvu/35

This page has been validated.

IN VIRGINIA

her to see a joke. Women ain't funny, mostly.

"Yes," she says, dropping tears on the letter, "just a girl rebel. And yes, they are terrible, thank God. And I shan't forget who murdered my father! A woman's vengeance is not like a man's. It never sleeps or dies. And the slayer of my father shall suffer—or his brethren shall—for him!"

Well! I never saw Evelyn like that! I didn't think she had it in her! Just a nice young girl—till I stirred her up. And remember, Henry really wasn't her father, though, remember again, she'd never known any other father. Of course, as I have told you, I don't wonder that she loved our Henry a lot. Everybody did that got near him. Dave—happy little Dave, always reminded me of him. She scribbled fiercely at the letter, dropping more tears, and I sneaked away—for, as I told you, I am no kind of a father.

I could see next day that she was scared about it—and so I scolded her a little. I was never afraid to scold her when she was scared.