in me. I take
anything you want now to give me. I don't say never Melanctha it don't
hurt me, but I certainly don't say ever Melanctha it ought ever to be
any different to me." And the bitter tears rose up in Jeff Campbell,
and they came and choked his voice to be silent, and he held himself
hard to keep from breaking.

"Good-night Melanctha," and Jeff was very humble to her. "Goodnight
Jeff, I certainly never did mean any way to hurt you. I do love you,
sure Jeff every day more and more, all the time I know you." "I
know Melanctha, I know, it's never nothing to me. You can't help it,
anybody ever the way they are feeling. It's all right now Melanctha,
you believe me, good-night now Melanctha, I got now to leave you,
good-by Melanctha, sure don't look so worried to me, sure Melanctha
I come again soon to see you." And then Jeff stumbled down the steps,
and he went away fast to leave her.

And now the pain came hard and harder in Jeff Campbell, and he
groaned, and it hurt him so, he could not bear it. And the tears came,
and his heart beat, and he was hot and worn and bitter in him.

Now Jeff knew very well what it was to love Melanctha. Now Jeff
Campbell knew he was really understanding. Now Jeff knew what it was
to be good to Melanctha. Now Jeff was good to her always.

Slowly Jeff felt it a comfort in him to have it hurt so, and to be
good to Melanctha always. Now there was no way Melanctha ever had had
to bear things from him, worse than he now had it in him. Now Jeff was
strong inside him. Now with all the pain there was peace in him. Now
he knew he was understanding, now he knew he had a hot love in him,
and he was good always to Melanctha Herbert who was the one had made
him have it. Now he knew he could be good, and not cry out for help
to her to teach him how to bear it. Every day Jeff felt himself more a
strong man, the way he once had thought was his real self, the way he
knew it. Now Jeff Campbell had real wisdom in him, and it did not make
him bitter when it hurt him, for Jeff knew now all through him that he
was really strong to bear it.

And so now Jeff Campbell could see Melanctha often, and he was
patient, and always very friendly to her, and every day Jeff Campbell
understood Melanctha Herbert better. And always Jeff saw Melanctha
could not love him the way he needed she should do it. Melanctha
Herbert had no way she ever really could remember.

And now Jeff knew there was a man Melanctha met ver