“Well, I’m mad, anyhow. You haven’t the backbone of a fish! You let your father jaw you, right there in sight of everybody.”
“Could I help it? He’s bigger’n me. And besides, he’s my father.”
“If my father dared to jaw me like that in front of everybody I’d—I’d—I’d get a gun and I’d shoot him dead! I told you that before.”
“I hate him as much as I love you, Bernie. At the same time, I can’t kill him.”
“Well, you wanted to know why I won’t marry you and I’m telling you. Besides, who’d marry us?”
“We could run away, Bernie. I could tell some minister we’re older than we are. You could get some of your mother’s long dresses perhaps and I’m puttin’ on long pants next week anyhow——”
“And who’d support us?”
“I’ve reached man’s estate. I’m going to work next week, anyhow. If I’ve reached man’s estate and am going to work and earn money, I’ve got a right to have the things a man has—a wife, for instance!”
“Where are you going to work?”
“In—in—your father’s tannery. And if I’ve got a wife, maybe my father will let me have my own money for myself. He’ll have to! The law’d make him——”