"I don't know's I ever did give you anything, Letty," he said, with a
new pain stirring in his face. "I don't b'lieve I ever thought of it.
It wasn't that I begrudged anything."
"Oh, my soul, no!" cried Letty, in an agony of her own. "I knew how 't
was. It wa'n't your way, but they didn't know that. And I couldn't have
'em thinkin' what they did think, now could I? So I bought me--David, I
bought me that high comb I used to wear, and--and a blue
handkerchief--and a thimble--and--and--this ring. And I said you give
'em to me. And I trusted to chance for your never findin' it out. But I
always hated the things; and as soon as we were married, I broke the
comb, and burnt up the handkerchief, and hammered the thimble into a
little wad, and buried it. But I didn't dare to stop wearin' the ring,
for fear folks would notice. Then t'other day I felt so about it I
knew the time had come, and I went down to the Old Hole and threw it
in. And now that hateful Sammy's found it and brought it back, and I've
sent him your solder, and Debby's promised me she wouldn't tell you
about the pork, and I--I'm no better than the rest of 'em that lie and
lie and don't let their men-folks know!" Letty was sobbing bitterly,
and David drew her into his arms and laid his cheek down on her hair.
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