Page:Frank Owen - Rare Earth, 1931.djvu/183

 in Samuel Gage. He was surprised at Jethro's tone of complete dejection.

Jethro straightened up. He gazed intently, almost fiercely at Samuel Gage as though conscious of his existence for the first time.

"Of course there is hope," he said harshly. "His blindness is only a temporary thing. But even that is bad enough. He'll be all right, you understand me, he'll be all right soon, able to see as well as anybody. God!"

His voice ended in a queer note, almost a sob. But the habitual hard mask of his face had resumed its composure. The soil had taught him to be infinitely patient A farmer's life is filled with many hours of waiting, of working and waiting. He is at the mercy of the elements, of cyclones, of drought, of frost and excess rain.

For awhile they drove along in silence. Then once more Jethro brought up the subject of Linda Joel toward whose home they were driving. He had cultivated the friendship of Samuel Gage with a set purpose in mind. All through his life he had bothered very little