o
avoid it he hadn't figured out. It took him a long time to consider just
what was best to do. Perhaps the lawyer had gone to Ithaca. He hoped so.
At any rate, he could go to the house and if the professor were there
he'd give the flowers to Tess, and if he had to, come another day when
she was alone.

Strutting along, supported by his fine clothes, and the consciousness of
doing the right thing in the right way, the newly-rich man walked up the
path to Young's house and ascended the steps quietly. The door stood
open. Without knocking, he stepped across the threshold into the sitting
room.

Tessibel was working at a little table, cutting out a blouse for Boy.
She looked up, and recognizing her visitor, got quickly to her feet.

"Hello, Tess," said Sandy, coming forward a little. "Nice day, ain't
it?"

Tessibel's fear of him since his roughness to Boy was very active. She
had suffered in anticipation, for he'd threatened to come again, and she
knew he would. Now he was here she didn't know what to do. Deforrest
wasn't home and Andy was out with Boy.

"Yes, it's a nice day," she assented.

"Ain't ye goin' to ask me to set down?" demanded Sandy, at the same time
helping himself to a rocking chair. "I brought ye somethin', brat." He
unwrapped the bundle and took out a huge bunch of flowers.

"Ye want to nurse 'em a long time, 'cause they cost money, them flowers
did. They ain't no wild posies!"

"They're awful pretty," she thanked him. "I'll put them in water right
away."

While she was arranging the flowers, Sandy got up.

"How do ye like my new togs, kid?" he asked, pivoting around and around
on one heel.

"You look very nice," replied Tessibel, gathering courage from his good
nature.

"Ye bet I do," grinned Letts. "I air some guy when I air all flashed out
in new things. Got all this with Waldstricker's money. Lord, brat--"
Here the man reseated himself. "Ye ought to hear that bloke bluster when
he found out ye'd got Andy back. Now for me--I were glad, for I knowed
all along the dwarf didn't kill Eb's daddy. But in this world I find ye
got to look out for yerself first. That air how I got the five
thousand."

"I see!" flared Tess, her disapproval of his spying getting the better
of her fear. "But your blood money won't do you any good."

"Won't do me no good? My five thousand won't do me no good? What do ye
mean, brat? 'Course it'll do me lots of good. I air a rich man, I air.
It's goin' to buy us a