"Oh, Mr. Farquhar!" said she; "do you think they tell you the
truth? I wonder what Ruth can be doing to support herself and
Leonard? Nothing that you can hear of, you say; and, of course,
one must not ask the downright question. And yet I am sure they
must be pinched in some way. Do you think Leonard is stronger?"
"I am not sure. He is growing fast; and such a blow as he has had
will be certain to make him more thoughtful and full of care than
most boys of his age; both these circumstances may make him thin
and pale, which he certainly is."
"Oh! how I wish I might go and see them all! I could tell in a
twinkling the real state of things." She spoke with a tinge of
her old impatience.
"I will go again, and pay particular attention to anything you
wish me to observe. You see, of course, I feel a delicacy about
asking any direct questions, or even alluding in any way to these
late occurrences."
"And you never see Ruth by any chance?"
"Never!"
They did not look at each other while this last question was
asked and answered.
"I will take the paper to-morrow myself; it will be an excuse for
calling again, and I will try to be very penetrating; but I have
not much hope of success.
"Oh, thank you. It is giving you a great deal of trouble; but you
are very kind."
"Kind, Jemima!" he repeated, in a tone which made her go very red
and hot; "must I tell you how you can reward me?--Will you call
me Walter?--say, thank you, Walter--just for once.
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