"I would be, if you hadn't done a father's duty!"
He put his hand on her shoulder for a moment, and gave her a wry smile.
"Did Tad tell you?"
"Tad hasn't been near the house. Barbara told me." She wilted into his
arms. "Oh, Joe, do you suppose--?"
Because he knew her so well, Joe knew what she was thinking. At eight
years of age all youngsters were harmless, but at eighteen some might be
bad and some good. Joe crushed his wife to him.
He said, "We'll teach him. It's just that he has to learn some things
the hard way."
"Oh Joe! I'm glad we're going! Oregon will be good for him!"
Joe's heart skipped a beat with delight at hearing her say this. "It
will give him a chance to work his vinegar off. I'm not so sure he could
do that if he stayed here. He'd want a farm of his own, and Elias would
have to loan him some of the money to buy it, and the first time Elias
pressed him there'd be fur flying. It wouldn't be Tad's either."
They felt a tender intimacy, a closeness that made them cling together.
Joe cleared his throat. He had deceived her, and now he must undo that
deception.