Page:Frank Owen - Rare Earth, 1931.djvu/188

 which held the attention of Jethro Trent as Samuel Gage introduced them. They were, he thought, the blackest and loveliest eyes he had ever beheld—and the saddest. They were the one remnant that remained of Linda's once vivid, startling beauty.

"This yere's Jethro Trent," rambled Samuel Gage, by way of introduction, "farmer and all that. Knows more about the soil than any other guy in Illinois. Thought I'd bring 'im up yere with me to look the farm over. You know you really got a fine bit o' ground 'ere and it's a pity 'tain't cultivated. 'E's a good friend o' mine. I know as 'ow you'll get on well together 'cause he's been 'it kind o' rough-like, too, by the War. 'Is boy cum home blind."

"Only for a little while," broke in Jethro. The words of Samuel Gage made him wince. "But I'm mighty sorry about Enoch," he went on. "He was a fine boy."

"You mean you knew him?" As Linda spoke she rose to her feet and her hands clasped and unclasped spasmodically.

Jethro paused for a moment. Why tell her