Page:The leopard's spots - a romance of the white man's burden-1865-1900 (IA leopardsspotsrom00dixo).pdf/228

 had a soft deep look that told of sorrows borne in patience and faith beyond the ken of the younger man. It was this look on Tom's face that held Gaston like a magnet when he was in trouble.

"Tom, I'm blue and . I've come down to have you cheer me up a little."

"You've got the blues? Well that is a joke!" cried Tom. "You, young and handsome, the best educated man in the county, the finest orator in the state, life all before you, and God fillin' the world to-day with sunshine and spring flowers, and all for you! You blue! That is a joke." And Tom's voice rang in hearty laughter.

"Come here, Flora, and kiss me, you won't laugh at me, will you?"

The child climbed up into his lap, slipped her little arms around his neck and hugged and kissed him.

"Now, once more, dearie, long and close and hard—oh! That's worth a pound of candy!" Again she squeezed his neck and kissed him, looking into his face with a smile.

"I love you, Charlie," she said with quaint seriousness.

"Do you, dear? Well, that makes me glad. If I can win the love of as pretty a little girl as you I'm not a failure, am I?" And he smoothed her curls.

"Ain't she sweet?" cried Tom with pride as he laid aside his basket and looked at her with moistened eyes.

"Tom, she's the sweetest child I ever saw."

"Yes, she's God's last and best gift to me, to show me He still loved me. Talk about trouble. Man, you're a baby. You ain't cut your teeth yet. Wait till you've seen some things I've seen. Wait till you've seen the light of the world go out, and staggerin' in the