[36] They were all very quiet while Kent read the letter. Dr. John, alone, seemed disinterested. He very professionally poked the infant in the ribs to see how fat she had grown and, also, much to the indignation of Molly, went through some tests for idiocy, which, of course, the tiny baby could not pass. [37] [37] CHAPTER III. KENT BROWN. “Mother, will you come and take a little walk with me?” asked Kent as he finished Judy’s letter. With his hand trembling, although his eyes were very steady and his mouth very firm, he tucked the many thin blue sheets back in their envelope. “Yes, my son!” Mrs. Brown held her head very high and in her expression one could very well read: “I told you so! Did I not know the ‘mettle of his pasture’?” “Mother,” he said, as he drew her arm in his and they took their way through the orchard to the garden of Chatsworth, “I must go get Judy!” “Yes, my son, of course you must.” “Oh, Mother, you think it is the only thing to do?” “Of course, I know it is the only thing to do.[38] I told Molly and Edwin only a few minutes ago that you would want to do it.” [38] “And what a mother! I—well, you know, Mother, I am not engaged to Judy—not exactly, that is. She knows how I feel about her and somehow—I can’t say for sure—but I almost know she feels the same way about me, at least, feels somehow about me.” “Of course she does! How could she help it?” “You see, I knew it would be some time before I could make a decent living, and it did not seem fair to Judy to tie her down when maybe she might strike some fellow who would be so much more worth while than I am——” “Impossible!” “I used to think maybe Pierce Kinsella would be her choice, when they painted together so much.” “That boy! Why, Kent, how could you?”
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