ay bare her most intimate secrets.

What should she say? She wasn't unmarried, as the pastor had charged,
but the rest was true. Without Frederick's consent, she couldn't
explain; she couldn't deny the charge. Surely, Frederick would stand
forth and defend her now. She listened intently for a sound from him.
She dared not turn toward him, for fear she might break her promise by
some look or word. But nothing except the storm-sounds disturbed the
silence of the little church. Frederick had failed her again!

Unable alike to plead guilty or not guilty, she sat head bowed and eyes
downcast before her judges.

Waldstricker broke the appalling hush.

"Speak up, girl," he ordered harshly. "You're guilty, aren't you?"

The forlorn child struggled to her feet and raised her eyes to the
speaker's face.

"Oh, sirs, don't ask me 'bout it," she begged with outstretched hands.
"I can't tell ye nothing 'bout it 'cept ... I air goin' to have a baby
in the spring."

Waldstricker glanced significantly at the other elders who nodded in
acquiescence. Then he turned to the minister, still in the pulpit.

"It is enough," he decided sternly. "She has confessed her sin."

Dropping again into the pew, Tessibel cast a quick glance toward
Frederick, who stared set-faced out into the storm.

"We find, Tessibel Skinner," continued the minister, as though reciting
a carefully rehearsed speech, "you have sinned grievously. Your silence
convicts you. You are no longer worthy of membership in this church, of
communion with Christian people. But it is not right that you should
suffer alone. For your soul's welfare and in the interest of justice, I
ask you the name of the man--"

Tess got up again and faced them ... disgraced and outcast might be, but
she must be loyal to her promise.

"Don't ask me that, sir," she pleaded, bewildered, flinging a terrified
glance toward the door. "I air goin' now, an'll never come no more, but
don't ask me to say nothin', please."

She turned into the aisle as Griggs stepped from the platform. She
directed an appealing glance toward him that cut the man's heart through
like a knife.

"I want to go," she repeated. "Please!"

"Not yet," broke in Waldstricker, grim-jawed. "It's the duty of this
church to teach you a lesson if it can."

Tess looked helplessly at the row of stern men. What did they intend to
do to her? Oh, if they'd but let her go back to Daddy Skinner!

"Please let me go home to my dadd