Page:War; or, What happens when one loves one's enemy, John Luther Long, 1913.djvu/290

WAR of a small aching void. And as soon as that's all filled up he'll be back."

Jon nearly kicked my shin off.

"Daddy," says he, "it's not a good time to be joking—just before we're going away. Dave knows what I am going for—patriotism."

"That's right, brother," says Dave, in a funny mood, reaching over and taking Jon's hands. "It's a thing I didn't think I owned—till to-night. But, by the Lord, if it wasn't too late, I'd get into a uniform myself. I may yet. It's a great thing to love your country well enought to die for it. God bless the Union for ever! Hip, hip, hurrah!"

He begun serious and ended funny—as usual.

"Ah, Dave," says Jon, "you're forgettin' something better than your country."

Neither of them looked toward Evelyn, but both understood, and Dave goes over and touches her, almost as if she were a stranger.

"Yes," he says, dreamy, "I didn't think there 274