Without waiting an
instant, she fled frantically toward the house.

"Andy! Andy!" she screamed.

Andy came downstairs as fast as his little legs could carry him.

"Waldstricker's killed Boy!" gasped Tess. "Andy, get something.... Tell
Mother Moll.... Some water!"

She laid the baby on the divan in the sitting room and stood over him
until old Moll came.

"He air got a spasm," croaked the old woman. "Poor little brat! Get some
hot water."

For hours the child passed from one convulsion into another. When
Deforrest came home, Tess was in a state of frantic despair.

"Waldstricker struck him," she explained. "He's going to die."

In response to his questions, the girl gave him the details, and hotter
and hotter grew the listener's anger. He attempted to quiet Tessibel's
fears while he got ready to go for the doctor, but she persisted in her
claim that Boy wouldn't recover.

* * * * *

On his way home, the elder tried to make peace with himself. He was
rather sorry he'd struck the boy; that he'd hurt the little imp, he
poofed at. Anyway, he had taught Tess Skinner to keep her brat out of
his way. His efforts to discipline her had resulted in an open breach
with his brother-in-law and caused discord between himself and his wife.
His disputes with Deforrest about the squatters had not turned out to
his satisfaction. His efforts to drive the old witch off his lake-land
by tearing down her shack had opened to her the house that he himself
owned. He had had to pay Sandy Letts the $5,000 reward for the capture
of Andy Bishop, and the whole city had laughed at the price paid for the
little man's short imprisonment. He'd tried every way he knew to put an
end to the situation. Helen ought to be able to do something with her
brother. She should have saved her husband from the gossip Forrie was
causing.

When he entered his home, Helen perceived that he'd acquired a new
grievance and discreetly remained silent while he was preparing himself
for dinner.

After a quiet meal, when they had seated themselves by the log fire in
the library, Mrs. Waldstricker took up a doll's dress she was finishing
for Elsie's Christmas. Her husband, stretched in an easy chair, glowered
sullenly into the grate flames. The meditations of husband and wife were
quite different. Helen wondered what was bothering Ebenezer now. She
wished they were more companionable; that things were pleasanter, more
as it used to