But he had only heard her first assertion and it calmed him. He stared at her and the anger faded out of his face.
"Why didn't you say so then? That's news."
He looked at Avis gently.
"You married Joe Elvin's son, Robert. Well, why not? Bullstones have wedded with Elvins before to-day. I'm glad you're going to have a little one, Avis, and I command this. If it's a girl, you call it after your mother."
"I mean to," she said, "and if it's a boy, Bob wills it shall be called after you."
"No, no—I forbid that. We'll have no more Jacobs."
But he relented before them and grew mild.
"Come here and sit by me and take my hand," he said to Avis; and then he turned to John Henry.
"If I was harsh, you can overlook it. I'm not the man I was. I'm a good deal fallen down from the man I was. I'm colder than the man I was. I'll give you credit for saying what you said in a right spirit, I believe it. That's your mother in you. But you swear it was your own thought—not whispered to you by Billy or some such well-wisher to me?"
"I swear before God it was my own thought, father; and I say again that if you'll come to live with me, I'd be very glad indeed."