He touched his roll with his left hand affectionately. “I’ve a gun here. My pistol, you know. I’ll be careful.”
She urged softly, “Please do.”
There was so much solicitude in her voice that Darrin was shaken by it; he slid the roll to the floor.
Then Evered came to the door that led into the shed; and he said, “I’ll help you down with that stuff.”
Darrin shook his head. “No need,” he replied. “I can handle it.”
He swung it up again across his shoulder; and Ruth opened the outer door for him. She and Evered stood together watching him cross the barnyard and lower the bars and pass through and go on his way.
When he was out of sight Ruth looked up at Evered; and the man said gently, “Glad to see him, Ruthie?”
She nodded, “I like him.”
“More than you like John?” the man asked.
And she said steadily, “I like them both. But Darrin is gentle, and strong too. And you Evereds are only cruelly strong.”