re. Go down and help your brother take care
of his squatter baggage!"

He seemed fairly beside himself. Helen realized the hopelessness of
further resistance.

"Then I'll go and take my baby," she cried. "Perhaps when we're gone--"

Her words only added fuel to the flame of his wrath.

"You'll not touch my daughter," he interrupted. "She'll stay with me."

He rushed at her, pushed her rudely aside, and hurried up the stairs to
the nursery.

His wife followed as quickly as possible. At the nursery door Ebenezer
met her and blocked her way.

"You needn't wake her up," he hissed. "Go on! Get out of here! You're
worse than the Skinner woman!"

She could not go into the nursery. The angry man on the threshold
effectually prevented her. Mrs. Waldstricker turned down the hall and
went to her own room. She could hardly comprehend the untoward disaster
that had destroyed the whole fabric of her life at one stroke. The blood
was throbbing at her temples and pounding through her body. Her ears
rang; her face burned and she was trembling all over. Mechanically, she
fumbled for the matches on a nearby table, found one and struck it. She
attempted to light the lamp but dropped the chimney and it rolled away
under the bed.

Drearily, she tried to consider her course. Ebenezer had ordered her to
go. Then she must go. She'd always done as he directed. But where? Her
cheeks burned more fiercely as she recalled the brutal answer he'd given
that question. No, she wouldn't go to Forrie! It would only make
Ebenezer more angry and make more trouble for her brother. It didn't
make much difference where she went anyway. Life without her husband and
her baby wouldn't be life at all. She couldn't visualize her days
without Elsie, the little one they'd both longed for and prayed over.
Slowly, because each little act required a separate effort of volition,
she dressed herself. Prepared at last to depart, she took a long look
through the rooms. Past events went in giddy rapidity across her vision.
How she'd loved and still loved Ebenezer! They'd been so happy together.
She sighed and went through the hall to the nursery. Her movements had
evidently been heard. When she approached the door, her husband stepped
out and pulled the door to behind him. For a moment their eyes met. In
his she saw the dull smoldering coals of hate. She bowed her head and
silently went through the baleful glare he cast upon her down the stairs
and out of the mans