Tell me softly, sweetly, as of old,
Tell me that you love me,
For that’s the sweetest story ever told.”
As the two women approached the place where Dopey and John stood, Dora handed the flower to Dopey, who looked at it curiously and then, with a sneering scowl, drew back, while the poor girl said:
“Don’t you want the flower? I found it growing all alone out of a crevice in the rocks. See how good is the dear God. He sends us flowers even here.” Then she began to sing again the same refrain, then stopped suddenly, saying, with a strident laugh:
“Here, here! There comes Bennie!” Then she began to call for Bennie until even her poor, dazed mind comprehended that there was no answer. Then, turning to Muriel, she said:
“What’s wrong, lady? I call and call, and no answer comes from Bennie. He never comes.” Then she wept.
Muriel turned to John, who stood there with hatred gleaming in his half-shut eyes, and whispered:
“Look! look at your work, with the eyes of a hungry wolf, but you shall not harm her, for I will kill you myself first!”
“I know who will come. He never did fail when I called. Papa, papa! No, he doesn’t come, either. Poor papa! he is all tired out and is sleeping. Hush! don’t make a noise, or you’ll wake him up.”