"Angry?" he echoed, almost bitterly. "I guess it couldn't ever
come to that a-tween you an' me. I'll be all right." He
shrugged his great shoulders. "It's just kinder sudden, that's
all. You see, I never figured on givin' yer up, and when you
said you wasn't comin' back, it kinder seemed as though I
couldn't see nothin' all my life but long, dusty roads, and
nobody in 'em. But it's all right now, and I'll just be gettin'
along to the wagon."
"But, Jim, you haven't seen Mr. Douglas," Polly protested,
trying to keep him with her until she could think of some way to
comfort him.
"I'll look in on him comin' back," said Jim, anxious to be alone
with his disappointment. He was out of the gate before she could
stop him.
"Hurry back, won't you, Jim? I'll be waiting for you." She
watched him going quickly down the road, his fists thrust into
his brown coat pockets, and his hat pulled over his eyes. He did
not look back, as he used to do, to wave a parting farewell, and
she turned toward the house with a troubled heart. She had
reached the lower step when Strong and Elverson approached her
from the direction of the church.
"Was that feller here to take you back to the circus?" demanded
Strong.
She opened her lips to reply, but before she could speak, Strong
assured her that the congregation wouldn't do anything to stop
her if she wished to go.
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