“He’ll get over it,” said Tom. “Reckon he can’t have much love fur such a critter.”
“You knew of it too, then?”
“Oh, we’ve all heard. He got First Field Punishment on her account, fur——”
“Go on.”
“Thur’s naun to say. I guess she’s bad all through. Some of these girls, they’re bits of stuff as you might say, but they’d never kip a man off his duty or git him into trouble on their account. Howsumdever, the wuss she is the sooner he’s lik to git shut of her.”
Mr. Sumption groaned.
“If only he could have married your sister Ivy!”
“Ivy aun’t to blame.”
“No—she’s not. I mustn’t be unjust. She treated him fair and square all through; he says it himself. But, Tom, it’s terrible to think that one human creature’s got the power to give another to Satan, and no blame attached to either.”