en them was appalling. Thankful to be a few minutes by himself, the
young man went away to stable the horses and his wife entered the house.
Madelene found her brother sitting before the grate fire. Helen looked
up and smiled at her sweetly.

"Come and get warm, dear," she said. "You've had a long ride, haven't
you?... Why, what's the matter, Madelene?"

Mrs. Graves dropped into a chair.

"I'm so awfully unhappy," she cried, "and Frederick's as mean as he can
be.... I hate that Skinner girl!"

Mrs. Waldstricker dropped her work into her lap.

Ebenezer looked at his sister critically.

"What's she done to you now?" he asked, without waiting for his wife to
speak.

Madelene flung up an angry, flushed face.

"She's done enough! I hate her and always shall. She sent for Frederick
to come down there--and he went--"

"Are you sure?" asked Mrs. Waldstricker, in a shocked voice.

"Of course I'm sure! I'm not in the habit of saying things I'm not sure
of, Helen. I might have known when people told me he was in love with
that squatter it was true."

[Illustration: "HUSH!" HE CRIED, "HAVEN'T YOU ANY HEART?"]

Her loud, angry voice reached Frederick as he entered the room. The
frown deepened on his brow. He looked at his brother-in-law for a
minute. He never remembered being so angry before.

"Madelene has told a direct falsehood when she says Tessibel Skinner
sent for me," he said. "She did not!"

"But I found him in her shanty, Ebenezer dear," thrust in Madelene, "and
she's a wicked, little huzzy."

"Hush!" cried Frederick, white-lipped.

"I won't hush, so there!" screamed his wife. "I won't! I won't!... And,
Ebenezer, she's bad, she is! She's going to have a--"

Frederick wheeled around desperately. Madelene was placing him at the
extreme of his endurance. Human nature could bear no more.

"Oh, my God, such a woman!" he exclaimed.

"There, you see!" gasped Madelene. "He won't listen to a thing against
her, and he's been acting as guilty as he could all the way home.... No
wonder I don't believe a word he says!"

Mrs. Waldstricker picked up her work, folded it, and laid it on the
table.

"But, Madelene, it's so bewildering," she exclaimed. "Tell us, dear,
just what happened."

Between sobs and tears Madelene went over the trial she had passed
through, and continued, "While we were abroad, I thought there was
something the matter with him, and I know one day he got a letter. He
wouldn't let me see it,