ker Makes

ngman's, Helen Young was entertainin

hop is back in Auburn, Helen," said h

le and deftly shot the th

d. "Here's Deforrest!" She hesitate

ith Waldstricker as his siste

inner's with him," she explained. "

interrogative glan

nswered. "Why? An

aldstricker, who lifted his

sooner or later he'll land back here among his own people. If I can whet

"But the Skinners-What have

a moment, inhaling

t church might be of great assis

terjected

o know if Bishop sneaked into any of their huts. If I can inte

ded Young, in a m

arted to give you an account of what happened yesterd

wn and resum

milingly nodded. "I'm so sorry. If I'

laughed, coloring a little. "Of c

was here, I thought I'd speak to Skinner. On the way down the hill I met his daugh

ittle thing," excused Helen. "She r

noticed o

hrust in, "and is so eager to learn; she's advanc

ter me. I didn't notice her until she was at my side, all out

earn things,

readin' and writin' and the things big rich folks know. If I ha

" laughed W

ather was at home. Then she told me that she was on her

his head. "The old woman lives

girl." He stopped and his lip took an upward curve. "The old hag tell

"That's got to stop, Young. It's again

lawyer sententiously, "and every squatter on Cayuga Lak

radicted Waldstricker, seriously. "Isn't there som

of her, and she tells their fortunes to pay for food." He broke off the explanation, only to take it up aga

s watch and looked at it. "Shall we go on down, Helen? It's a little early. I told the girl I'd

elen went for her garden hat,

is Bishop case. I'm privilege

g I can, Ebeneze

l and saw the three making their way leisurely toward the lake. She gave one

ment. "Scoot under the tick, Andy! An', Daddy, get on my cot, an' don't say

e dwarf's burrowing in the attic when a long shadow fell across the thresho

her confusion she ignored Waldstricker entirely. Their presence in the squatter's hut was so portent

d stepped backward across the uneven kitchen flo

on the floor near Daddy Skinner, and shaking her curls back from her face

e you, Tessibel," sa

you, too, Ma'am," returne

oward Ebenezer, the

Waldstricker, don'

f course she remembered him. What did he desire o

ore calmly. "I remembe

rupted her with a

counted him very handsome, indeed, when both corners of his mouth went up, but she knew that other trick of those lips. Not knowing how to explain her fli

n studying to

ies every day, an' air learnin' my Daddy a lot of things now, ain't I, Dadd

rmed Skinne

l be excusin' 'im if he don't talk. I'l

nd Andy Bishop. In their defense, eager to hinder him, her quick thought sought his purpose in coming to the shack. C

ain't mad at Moth

search for his father's murderer, waived her question aside.

an pompously. "I came here today on pu

nted to speak to her. She sat up a little straighter, each shoulder ca

" she answered shyly, a l

e how anxious you are to learn and to i

rest, who threw her his ever-ready smile. Her

, will give you lots of money! You coul

red back at the handsome,

, gulping. "I get five bucks every S

," Waldstricker told her. "I wa

Tess tried to swallow, but couldn't. She kne

she got out a

and Waldstricker's hand

said, "and then you can de

leaning her chin on her han

as murdered," the visitor asked her afte

about the brawl in the saloon

t it," she re

the man who murdered him escaped

ight trouble Daddy and the wee man in the garret, so she acquiesced by bowing h

but his red lids were closed

d to all three. Then she told Waldstricker,

oke to looked

his way down the lake side," he explained,

supple body under the red curls expressed the girl's r

s'pose ye mean?" demand

with a contemptuous smile

people's voices when the

to earn the reward offered for Bishop's

ceive Waldstricker and persuade him to leave the search of the Silent City in her hands. Her b

shaking her curls as she tossed

dollars," repli

air a pile of money. I bet I

sly to Deforrest Yo

may!" was

now, her cheeks flami

an if I seen 'im in any of

stricker, more of a qu

, "and very small-like this. Sandy Lett

ictured Sandy's brutal face and greedy eyes, and

ed with a sweep of her hand toward the do

th Sandy, eh?" she continued, as

m," Ebenezer replied genially. "You

it," Tess argued earnestly. "Sandy a

age it as

or Sandy myself," he continued. "All I want is to get Andy Bishop

rls over each shoulder and drew

it 'im four new beds-one fer every corner of this here kitchen, an' I'd git 'im a flannel shirt thick as a board to keep the pains from 'is bones.... Then,

this chatter wit

n' after that I'd take singin' lessons an' I'd sing to everybody what asked me-Then mebbe-"

icker s

young lady, we'll leave you, and if you hear that this dwarf is in

ss, heartily. "

back on her shoulders. To Ebenezer, watching her, came like a haun

uggestion easily and t

e next musicale and have her sing

tiff," gasped Tes

en thrust in, "I'd tea

n upon her dress, her fa

what was going on i

u make a new dre

" Tess demanded. Oh, how afraid she always

ast between this squatter girl in the bare shack and the

but you come along with Miss

kly dropped it and began to fumble with her own fingers. She loo

plied in a very

them walk slowly up the hill. Then

ling. "Wasn't that a nice list of beautiful things ye was

w, as she turned

Jesus handin' ye over to that old elder. Why, Him an'

ng a sigh, took four steps

h chance a ketchin' you as a tallow dog