He saw on her face that she was startled, shocked, and a little repelled by his appearance. She hardly knew him. But she overcame her repulsion at once, and became the more protective.
"Why, how awful it must be for you!" she said.
"Not so bad now," he said, manfully swallowing his pap.
He could see she longed for him to have his own good-looking face again. She could not bear this strange horror. She refused to believe this was he.
"I shall never forgive that cruel Easu!" she said, and the colour came to her dark cheek. "I hope I never have to speak to him again."
"Oh, I began it. It was my fault."
"How could it be!" cried Mary. "That great hulking brute. How dare he lay a finger on you!"
Jack couldn't smile, his face was of the fixed sort. But his one good eye had a gleam. "He dare, you see," he answered. But she turned away in smarting indignation.
"It makes one understand why such creatures had their hands cut off in the old days," she said, with cold fierceness.
"How dare he disfigure your beautiful face! How dare he!" And tears of anger came to her eyes.