nd Fre

him all that had just happened. She fled around the mud cellar and opened the door with swift-coming br

ow what he wants, but Andy mustn't come out of the garret, not fer anythin'. An', Daddy!" She paused with a sudden sob,

I ain't held it all these years to

the pot, an' she says as how he ain't never goin' to git Andy back to Auburn till i

rried, nimble-footed, up the ladder. Poking her head through the hole in the ceiling,

whispered. "

murmured the dwarf

ove ye, Andy, an' you bet nobody durst touch ye. Whatever ye h

nded her way to the ragged rocks to meet Frederick Graves, she had ut

every expression of nature Tess heard Frederick's voice; his clear tones came swiftly on the w

y rock-slab, bending slightly forw

n delight as a tall form lo

and girl were silent in their mutual happiness. The lakeside was quiet except for the

ooed in croaking tones, and in a nearby tree a famil

lds, seemed to be blossoming in Tessibel's heart at one time. She was

, between caresses, "you remember what I be

a movement

she stammere

k drew h

me right away," he mu

ate sighing out of the darkness int

gulping. "What do ye mean by

ms evidenced st

"You must! You must!... I can't be happy u

thrilled her as his

ir he to know?" she

, n

yer m

-not quite

scarlet face, and tears tr

h in a sob. "I jest can't! Oh, why co

ined her again

oul must know. Just you and I, darling. It'll be all

her. She pressed him back to look into his eyes, but even through

tell ye somethin'. Everybody had ought to know when a girl gets married.

made him the more determined to bend her to his wish. She had always been submissive, and he'd worshiped her for her womanly acquiescence

between fierce kisses. "Come with me tomor

the principle she knew was right, ev

ell Daddy," she

y to lock Frederick's arm

u mustn't tell him, either

reason for refusing him; but when he reached forth and folded her again in his arms, that fine firmness gave way. She bur

ything, but I've never deceived Daddy a bit in all my life. I never done nothin'

cipated this resistan

to do anything wrong." Then softening, he pleaded acc

," whispered Te

ederick, in quick contradicti

shook slowly a

ned Frederick. Then taking a long breath,

e, honest mind raced all the objections against his d

nt ye to marry me,"

please his mother. Why, darling, what kind of a world would this be i

dy loves me," argued Tessibel, "an' when ye don't do righ

ave any one know about it. Tessibel, I want this more than anything else in the worl

do what-ye want

fell from her lips, the s

n't have to be a secret over a year, not much over a year,

uiesced, weakly. "Oh

he rocks close in spirit-close in thrilling nearness. Per

llin' me," sh

h the words, "I'm goin' to be marri