Page:Scarlet Sister Mary (1928).pdf/213

 Ben, of all people in the whole world! She had never seen him shed a tear before.

"Budda! Budda!"—she shook his arm,—"if you cry here on dis wood-pile to-day I'll lay down on de ground an' holler same like a dog. Fo Gawd's sake, stop. Cuss all you want to, be mean much as you please, but don' cry. I can' stand to see you cry."

For a minute, Ben could not control his sobbing. Then Mary whispered that all the church-members would be peeping out of their doors at him, and they would be so glad to see his sorrow they would jump up and crack their heels together with joy. Ben dropped the ax and glared at her.

"I ain' cryin about bein a fallen member. No," he bawled, "I'm a-cryin because you don' mind de way Andrew done me."