I can't anyway!" cried Lois then, with a great sob.
"Well, if you can't, don't cry, little girl.

There's nothing to cry about.

I can stand it.

All the trouble is, it does seem to me that I could take care of you better than any other fellow on earth, but maybe that's my conceit, and you'll find somebody else that will do better than I.Now don't cry." Francis pulled her hat off gently, and patted her head.

His face was quite white, but he tried to smile.
"Don't cry, dear," he said again.