who put themselves within the reach of it deserved all they got. He might
say doubtful things to Joseph Ford's ear now and again, but nought the
policeman could fairly quarrel with, because both Joseph and Minnie, his
wife, owed Teddy a bit by now, and, doting on their little son as they
did, felt a bit weak to the man in that quarter.

Their only child was six years old, and the amazing beauty of young Joey
Ford made him many friends beside Mr. Pegram. He was one of they children
that look too good and too beautiful for this world, and you feel that, by
rights, they did ought to grow a pair of wings and fly away to heaven. And
for that matter, old Jane Marks, who was famous for seeing and pointing
out the dark side of all human hopes, warned Minnie more'n once against
putting her whole trust in the beautiful boy.

"To my eye there's early death looking out of his eyes," Jane Marks would
say. "Such blue eyes belong to the sky, Minnie, and there's more to it
than his angel face, because the child's so parlous good that it ain't
straining truth to say the Old Adam be left out of him. And granted that,
this vale of tears is no place for such a boy. Heaven's his home," Mrs.
Marks would say, "and so you must fortify yourself for an early loss."

Minnie didn't worry, however, because her son was a strong lad and sturdy
as well as lovely. He'd gotten his father's fine shape and his mother's
gentle heart, and though good as gold, he weren't a Mary-boy, as we
say--one of them gentle, frightened childer who can't let go their
mother's apron. That sort, if they grow up, turn into indoor man-servants
and ain't very powerful as a rule in their bodies or intellects; but Joey
was a brave young lad enough and had already fixed on his father's
profession for his own.