onight."

Frederick withdrew his arms from under his mother and dropped his face
hopelessly into his hands.

"Oh, God, help me!" he groaned between his fingers. "I can't do that,
Mother! I can't!"

A tender hand went out slowly and touched him. He lifted his face with a
sharp gesture and grasped his mother's fingers in his.

"Don't ask me to do that, oh, don't, darling mater, don't!" he moaned.
"Anything else--I'd do _anything_ else."

The feminine fingers closed over the masculine ones.

"I must ask you, my son," insisted Mrs. Graves, gently. "It's the only
hope I have.... I've kept so many things from you, but now I'll tell you
why. The lake place is mortgaged to Ebenezer Waldstricker for more than
it's worth, and I've borrowed a lot of money from him and from
Madelene."

Frederick's hands fell from his face.

"Good God! My God!" he exclaimed hoarsely. "Why didn't you tell me
before?"

"I couldn't--I couldn't, Fred, but now you see why you must do this for
all our sakes. I haven't any money at all only what they let me have.
Babe and I won't have any place to go if you don't help. Oh, Fred, you
will think of it, dear, you will?"

The boy got up feeling as if something worse than death had happened to
him. He saw no way out.

"Yes, I'll think of it," he temporized.

Mrs. Graves sank deeper into her pillow and closed her eyes with a long
sigh. Frederick said no more, but turned quickly and went out of the
room.

He staggered downstairs like a drunken man. He ought to have told his
mother he was married to Tessibel Skinner. He couldn't marry any other
woman!... How could he, when he was already married--married to the
sweetest girl in the world? Oh, to get away somewhere to think quietly!
To get something to stop the throbbing in his head! This new horror
facing him was more than he could bear. He'd go back now and tell his
mother he was married to Tess.... No, he'd wait until morning! He opened
the library door and stepped in, crossed the room slowly and drew down
the curtain. Turning, he saw a girl rise from the divan. Madelene
Waldstricker reached out two rounded arms with an impatient gesture.

"Ah, you've come," she said, smiling into his eyes.

Frederick gazed at the small girlish figure curiously. The new interest
in her awakened by the talk he'd just had with his mother, contended
with the image of Tess in his mind--radiant, loving, splendid Tess.

He walked to the table and feigned interest