They've got to be put on strong enough
so they won't flop off. You see," he added, solemnly, "if they
kept floppin' off they wouldn't keep flappin' on. There's all the
difference in the world between a flap and flop."
He was trying to reconcile that difference when Ruth entered the
shop. He looked up at her absently. "Mr. Winslow," she began
again, "I--"
His reproachful look made her pause and smile slightly in spite of
herself.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Well, then--Jed--I have something to tell
you. My brother will be here to-morrow."
Jed had been expecting to hear this very thing almost any day, but
he was a little startled nevertheless.
"Sho!" he exclaimed. "You don't tell me!"
"Yes. He is coming on the evening train to-morrow. I had word
from him this morning."
Jed's hand moved to his chin. "Hum . . ." he mused. "I guess
likely you'll be pretty glad to see him."
"I shall be at least that," with a little break in her voice. "You
can imagine what his coming will mean to me. No, I suppose you
can't imagine it; no one can."
Jed did not say whether he imagined it or not.
"I--I'm real glad for you, Mrs. Ruth," he declared. "Mrs. Ruth"
was as near as he ever came to fulfilling their agreement
concerning names.
"I'm sure you are. And for my brother's sake and my own I am very
grateful to you.
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