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The Cost by David Graham Phillips
page 17 of 324 (05%)
Gardiner was smoothing her daughter's turbulent red-brown hair.
"You'll only have to wait under a little more trying
circumstances. And if he's right, the truth will come out. And
if he's mistaken and John's all you think him, then that will
come out."

Pauline knew her father was not opposing her through tyranny or
pride of opinion or sheer prejudice; but she felt that this was
another case of age's lack of sympathy with youth, felt it with
all the intensity of infatuated seventeen made doubly determined
by opposition and concealment. The next evening he and she were
walking together in the garden. He suddenly put his arm round
her and drew her close to him and kissed her.

"You know I shouldn't if I didn't think it the only
course--don't you, Pauline?" he said in a broken voice that went
straight to her heart.

"Yes, father." Then, after a silence: "But--we--we've been
sweethearts since we were children. And--I--father, I MUST stand
by him."

"Won't you trust me, child? Won't you believe ME rather than
him?"

Pauline's only answer was a sigh. They loved each the other; he
adored her, she reverenced him. But between them, thick and
high, rose the barrier of custom and training. Comradeship,
confidence were impossible.

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