round his teeth. So Ebenezer was but
biding his time to do some terrible harm to Tessibel and her little boy,
his boy! Frederick breathed deeply, and pressed his hand upon his heart.
Would the thing never stop beating that way! Would it never in this
world quit that awful hurt when he thought of the squatter country! He
undressed hastily and went to bed, nor did he speak when Madelene crept
softly in beside him.

CHAPTER XL

HUSBAND AND WIFE

The next morning found Frederick Graves more nervous than ever. The
weather had cleared. The air, washed by yesterday's downpour, came
through the open window sweet to his nostrils. The countryside sparkled
in the morning sun and the greens of the woods and fields were deeper
and richer; but the beauty of the landscape touched him not. He'd
scarcely slept, and when weariness had at last overcome him, his dreams
had been filled with visions of a red haired girl, and a sturdy,
handsome boy playing about upon the ragged rocks. When he came down to
breakfast, Ebenezer told him he'd better see the doctor that day.

"You might go while Madelene and I are out this morning," suggested
Helen. "Ah," hearing a child's voice in the hall, "here comes my baby!"

When the door opened, a little girl of three bounded in. Ebenezer held
out his arms and Elsie sprang into them.

"Listen to Mrs. Waldstricker," he laughed. "She said, 'my baby,' and I
say, she's mine.... Aren't you my baby, pet?"

Helen smiled indulgently. This wee bit of femininity was the one
creature who could keep her father amiable from one end of the day to
the other.

"My girlie wants to eat with daddy?" Ebenezer went on, his face buried
in the flaxen hair. "Then she shall."

"Elsie wants to eat with daddy," parroted the child.

"That's why I say she's spoiled," offered Helen, shrugging her
shoulders. "Now her place is in the nursery, but what can I do?"

"Her place is right here on her father's knee," replied Waldstricker,
"where I always want her, bless her."

During the discussion about the child, Frederick got up from the table
and went out of doors.

As he left the dining room, he had no definite plan; but no sooner had
he walked across the front lawn and taken a view of the long road--the
way that led to Tessibel and his boy--than his feet, seemingly of their
own volition, led him along the grassy path up the hill. If he could
only see the two of them without his family knowing! One kiss from his
boy