He dropped Jan in the edge of the water, and, plunging in
to his waist, he threw handful after handful of water into his own
swollen face, and then stared upward, as though this last experiment was
also his last hope.
"My God, I'm blind--stone blind!"
Jan was staring hard into O'Grady's face. He called him nearer, took the
swollen and blackened face between his two hands, and his voice was
trembling with joy when he spoke.
"You're not blind--not for good--O'Grady," he said. "I've seen men like
you before--twice. You--you'll get well. O'Grady--Clarry O'Grady--let's
shake! I'm a brother to you from this day on. And I'm glad--glad--that
Marie loves a man like you!"
O'Grady had gripped his hand, but he dropped it now as though it had been
one of the live brands that had hurtled down upon them from the top of
the mountain.
"Marie--man--why--she HATES me!" he cried. "It's you--YOU--Jan Larose,
that she loves! I went there with a broken leg, an' I fell in love with
her. But she wouldn't so much as let me touch her hand, an' she talked of
you--always--always--until I had learned to hate you before you came. I
dunno why she did it--that other thing--unless it was to make you
jealous. I guess it was all f'r fun, Jan. She didn't know. The day you
went away she sent me after you. But I hated you--hated you worse'n she
hated me. It's you--you--"
He clutched his hands at his sightless face again, and suddenly Jan gave
a wild shout.
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