Page:War; or, What happens when one loves one's enemy, John Luther Long, 1913.djvu/118

WAR And what was I to do? Do you think I slept all night and every night in the midst of this? I thought of a thousand ways to end it. But I always came up against the same stone walls. Helping one would hurt the other.

Yet, now, when Jon got about again, and I must see his sunken blue eyes, and his broken and unsteady ways, it seemed like I must do something.

"Jonthy," I says—we were out under the plums again—"it is time we had some talk."

"Yes, daddy," smiles Jon, taking hold of my hand, "go on."

"I see the whole thing, Jonthy, and I hate to meddle, but I must."

"What whole thing?" smiles Jon.

"That Dave has forgotten your existence," says I, "and that you remember his ten times as much as ever. That he's taken Evelyn—"

"Ah, hush, daddy," says Jon, still smiling, "would you say a word, do a thing, to diminish that wonderful happiness?" 102