“Not I, my dear,” continued Crellock, “and out of it all I can see coming through the sunshine a bright angel to hold water up to my lips, and wipe the sweat of agony off my brow.”
“Mr Crellock! I cannot bear to listen to all this.”
“But you could bear to look at it all, and do it, bless you!” said the man warmly. “That day I swore something, and I’m going to keep my oath.”
“Don’t talk about it any more, please,” said Julia imploringly.
“If you don’t wish me to, I won’t,” said Crellock smiling. “I do want to talk to you though about a lot of things, and one is about the drink.”
Julia looked at him wonderingly.
“Yes, about the drink,” continued Crellock; “the old man drinks too much.”
Julia’s face contracted.
“And I’ve been a regular brute lately, my dear. You see it has been such a temptation after being kept from it for years. I haven’t been able to stop myself. It isn’t nice for a young girl like you to see a man drunk, is it?”
Julia shook her head.