ay in the
shanty an' take care of Andy till there ain't no more danger fer 'im.
Ye'll promise me, Tess?"

She enclosed his hand in hers and held it to her lips.

"I were a wantin' to go with you and Mummy, Daddy," she sobbed. "I air
always lonely in the shanty without ye--but if ye say, 'Stay with Andy,'
then I stays."

"That air what I says, brat, darlin'," panted Skinner.

Then for many minutes he was lost in the terrible struggle of strong
life against the grip of death. Tess wound her arms about his neck and
lifted the great head to her breast. She stared at his changing face as
at an advancing ghost.

He seemed to be slipping slowly into the great beyond, and she was
powerless to hold him back.

How many times had Daddy Skinner spoken of dying! How many times had she
heard him agree with Andy that death was better than life any day! But
at those times she had beaten back the muttered words of her father and
the dwarf. Ah, in those days, death had been far away, kept off by
happiness unsurpassed!

"It air hard fer some folks to die," wailed the fisherman. "An' so easy
fer uthers. Me--now me--Oh, God, oh, brat-love, let me go! I hurt so! I
hurt awful--let me go!"

The heart of the tortured, sobbing girl seemed to be bursting from its
pain and suspense. Her beloved father wanted to go away--to follow the
wraith mother beckoning from the rafters. How could she open her arms
and allow him to leave her alone in the shanty!

"Help me, brat-love," sighed Daddy Skinner once more. "Help yer old sick
daddy!"

Help him! How could she? Hitherto Tessibel's faith had loyally responded
to every demand upon her. But she couldn't help her daddy die! She knew
not how! Then, as if drawn by some invisible power, her eyes lifted,
piercing the shadows among the time-dried nets. And there, for one small
moment, she saw--she saw a face, a young, girlish face, infinitely
sweet, smiling down upon her.

"It air the Mummy!" she cried, her voice vibrant with love. "I air goin'
to help 'im, darlin'."

Buoyantly her mind gripped the old-time faith, the redoubtable faith
that had opened wide Auburn Prison, that had restored to her arms this
same adored father. She had helped him then--and oh, to help him now!
His great cry, "God, Tessibel, let me be goin'!" rang in her ears. Her
gaze was glued to his face. Terror and pain were strangling his throat
until his eyes grew death-dark in the struggle. Tessibel lifted her
ashen face, wil