s his wife, married to him, so that none could separate them,
would make his absences from Tessibel much easier to bear. He had in the
past feared Deforrest Young. Now that fear was being set at rest. He
never had worried that Sandy Letts would win Tess any more than he had
been apprehensive of Ben Letts before the drowning of the squatter. The
one person he stood in awe of was his mother. Again his eyes sought the
silent girl at his side. She had ever been a hallowing influence in his
life, and to lose her would be worse than death. After tonight the glory
in those unreadable brown eyes would ever shine for him. He threw one
arm across her shoulder, and drew her closer. "My little moonlight
girl!" he breathed in ecstasy, his cheek against hers. "Are you happy,
my sweet?"

Tessibel couldn't have spoken if she had so desired. Her heart seemed
filling her throat. Happiness hushed her voice, and gratitude to God for
giving her Heaven's best prevented her expression of it.

The next twelve miles were passed in silence. And ever after, when
Tessibel in imagination recalled the white road, winding its way into
the hills, the quietude of the countryside, the shimmering moonlight, it
seemed like nothing real. And she remembered, as in a daze, Frederick
taking her in his arms after the minister had married them--how he had
called her over and over his wife, his darling, and other whisperings
divinely sweet.... In memory all those hours were like strangely
mysterious dreams.

* * * * *

Daddy Skinner was waiting for Tessibel. He had sat listening for hours,
mostly in silence, a deep brooding expression bending his ragged brows
together in a stern frown.

From his position in the attic, Andy Bishop could see the fisherman's
face. The dwarf was quick to recognize that something was wrong with his
friend.

"The world air waggin' yet, Orn," he remarked soothingly.

"Sure, but 'tain't much of a world," grunted Skinner, sighing.

Andy bent his head a little farther through the hole.

"It air a lot, while we got Tess," he answered. "We got Tessibel, ain't
we, pal?"

The squatter's mouth wrinkled at each corner.

"Yep, I guess we got 'er all right, but I wish to God she'd come home."

"She'll be along soon," assured Andy, with a smile.

For a few minutes they remained silent. Then Orn Skinner burst forth
again,

"I ain't got as much use for that feller Tess loves as a dog has for a
million