human
John was all strength and concentration; Philip all brightness and charm--in the beginning! Their mother adored Philip; she never understood John, and yet he was a good son, brave and faithful. But he could not show his nature--it lay so far below the surface. It was always easy for Philip. His charm attracted nearly everyone. My father always liked John better. He said there was splendid power in him, and--I must keep nothing from you, Ralph--I loved John--loved him, oh! how I loved him. I pitied him because he could not win what should have been his--I loved him for myself, and for all the others who were too dull to realize his worth. It was like mother love and all the rest, in one.
gpt
Yes; the most God-like love of all. Only women know it, I fancy,
human
And then ; the agonized eyes seemed to plead even while they confessed,
gpt
Ruth!
human
I could never have believed it, but he told me so himself. To the day of his death my father believed the half had never been told, but how could I think that, when John told me himself that he was guilty? Father was a judge--he was to have been the judge before whom John Dale was tried, but they relieved him of that horrible duty. John Dale was sentenced to five years--in prison! They said it was a light sentence.
gpt
My God! Poor Phil! How terrible for you all!
human
Don't! don't! Ruth Dale put out her hands as if warding off a blow.
gpt
Haven't you guessed? Can you not think?