"
"But Tim didn't do nothin'," Perry cackled. "He just goes away and
lets her pine. When he comes back she falls right into his arms and
gazes up into his eyes, and--" Perry stopped rocking and looked into
the fire. "You know, Mark," he said after a pause, "it must be nice
not to be disappointed."
"It must be very nice," said I, smoking harder than ever.
"That's what I said to myself as I looked in the window and seen them."
"You looked in the window--you peeped!" I fairly shouted, making a
hostile demonstration with a crutch.
"Why, yes" said Perry, looking hurt that I should question his action
in the least. "I didn't mean to. Comin' from over the ridge I passed
Warden's and thought I'd stop in and warm up and see how Weston was.
So I stepped light along the porch, not wantin' to disturb him, and
seein' a light in the room, I looked in before I knocked. But I never
knocked, for I says to myself, 'I'll hurry down and tell Mark; it'll
please him.'"
[Illustration: "And seein' a light in the room, I looked in.
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