He left a few minutes later; Harriett, who went with him to the door, did not return to the room. The two men and Ted sat for a moment in silence. Then Cyrus turned upon him as if angered by what he divined him to be feeling. "Well," he said roughly, "I suppose you're pleased?"
"I'm pleased, all right," replied Ted with satisfaction. He looked at the minister. "Good thing, for I guess I'm the only fellow here who is."
Harriett's husband colored slightly. "I am neither pleased nor displeased," was his grave reply. "Surely it was for your father to do as he wished. For a father to forgive a child is--moving. I only hope," he added, "that it will not seem in the community to mean the countenancing--" He paused, looking to Cyrus for approval.
Then Ten blazed out. "Well, if you want to know what I think, I don't think a little 'countenancing' of Ruth is going to do this community--or anybody else--any harm!"
Cyrus looked at him with that slightly sneering smile that always enraged Ted. "You're proud of your sister, I suppose?" he inquired politely.
Ted reddened. Then he grew strangely quiet. "Yes," he said, "I believe I am. I've come pretty close to Ruth these last few days, and I think that's just what I am--proud of her. I can't say I'm proud of what Ruth did; I'd have to think more about that. But I'm proud of what she _is_. And I don't know--I don't know but what it's what a person _is_ that counts." He fell silent, thinking of what he meant by that, of the things he felt in Ruth.
Cyrus laughed mockingly. "Rather a curious thing to be proud of, I should say. What she 'is' is--"
Ted jumped up. "Don't say it, Cy! Whatever it is you're going to say--just don't say it!"
Cyrus had risen and was putting in his pocket a paper Mr. McFarland had given him. "No?" he said smoothly, as if quite unperturbed. "And why not?"
At that uncaring manner something seemed to break inside Ted's head, as if all the things Cyrus had said about Ruth had suddenly gathered there and pressed too hard. His arm shot out at his brother.
He had knocked Cyrus back against the wall and stood there threatening him. To the minister, who had stepped up, protesting, he snapped: "None of _your_ put-in! And after this, just be a little more careful in _your_ talk--see?"
