“She wants me to write at once just when I am going.” Which was of course not exactly the way Trude had written and yet was the correct interpretation Sidney now put upon her letter.
And still no word from Lavender.
“I—I hate to go. Dreadfully. Will you miss me the least bit, Lav? I—I mean you and Mart—”
“Oh, hang Mart!” burst out the boy hotly. “Who cares ’bout her? I can fool ’round with her anytime only I don’t want to. I—I—” He stopped short with a queer inarticulate sound and Sidney gasped. Why, Lavender was almost crying!
He really was crying only he was swallowing it all with funny gulps that lifted his crooked shoulders. Sidney’s heart gave a happy leap.
“Oh, Lav, I’m so glad you are sorry that I am going. We have had such fun together and you see I’ve never known any boys before—oh, except the ones I’ve met at parties and things and they’re terribly stupid. But you have been such a peach to me and showed me how to do everything just as though I was a boy. I’ll miss you, too, Lav—”
“Oh, no, you won’t. I mean it isn’t the same,” muttered Lavender, his shoulders quiet now. Across his face settled a sullenness that Sidney had never seen on it. She did not like it; it made him look ugly. She turned away. The boy went on, in a thick voice.
“Y’see, I never do anything with anyone because, well—I’m different. That’s why. I c’n always see them lookin’ at me curious or pitying and I won’t stand it! I just won’t. I hate it. That’s why I wouldn’t ever go to school. Some of the kids wouldn’t come near me—’fraid of touchin’ me, I guess. And some’d try to touch me—for luck, y’know. It’s always been like that—and I get awful lonesome. But some day when I’m grown up I’m going to save money and go away. Out in the big cities there are lots of people that are different—all kinds of shapes and colors and everything and they are too busy to stop to pity you. Mr. Dugald says so. I’m goin’ to study and learn to be a doctor. Not the kind that goes around to see folks like Dr. Blackwell but the kind that works in a big laboratory and finds out what cures the sick people. They are just as important Mr. Dugald says. And no one will see me then—they’ll just know about me. I don’t care how old I am, I’m going to do it some time.”
Before the sudden fire in his voice Sidney’s heart quickened with excitement. Why, Lavender was revealing to her his innermost soul and it was fine and straight, just as Mr. Dugald had said.
“Oh, Lavender, you’re wonderful!” she cried, her eyes shining. “It must be grand to know just what you want to do and I hope you won’t have to wait until you’re very old. I’m glad you told me. Only, only—” a doubt assailed her. “Won’t you have to go to school?”