mpossible, and, from now until the time he comes back, study your
Bible."

Tess halted a moment, looking up steadily into the dark eyes of the
tall boy.

"Does the Bible talk of Daddy Skinner?" she entreated; "does it tell as
how he air comin' home?"

"Indeed, yes," was the student's answer. "There's nothing the Bible
doesn't contain. The Saviour was nailed to the Cross bearing his misery
to give you a heavenly harp and crown, Tessibel. If you read Matthew,
Mark, Luke and John, you will see it all plainly. You can be happy if
you pray and are a good girl while your father is away." Then, desiring
to ease the tense-drawn face, he added:

"It will please him if you write him often and tell him about yourself....
Come now, it's getting too dark for you to walk those tracks. Child,
haven't you a friend in town with whom you can pass the night? It's
frightful to tramp that distance alone."

Tess stiffened instantly. Daddy's shanty was in her care, and of what
night had she ever been afraid?

"I air a goin' home," she answered almost sullenly; "ain't a dum bit
afraid of nothin'."

As Frederick turned to her side, Tess glanced up confusedly.

"Ye can't walk with me through the streets of Ithacy," said she.

"Why not?"

"Cause--well, cause ye can't, that's why!"

Frederick understood, and, gravely lifting his hat, turned in the other
direction with the remark that he would see her again soon.

The girl stood for some seconds staring fixedly after him. Then, wiping
her face with the sleeve of a ragged jacket, she started off toward the
squatters' row.

CHAPTER XVIII

Many were the troubling thoughts which possessed the mind of Tess as she
strode along. In the fulvid depths of her red-brown eyes there dwelt an
expression of misery. As the child took her way through the streets,
with none to care whither she went, her face lighted with a sudden
determination. Frederick had told her to read, to study, to pray--that
these three with faith would save Daddy Skinner from the rope of the
Canadian Indian; but the student, like all those having plenty, forgot
to enquire how Tess was to read without books, or study without anyone
to teach her. True, Tess could pick out a few words which Daddy had
taught her, could haltingly count the stars in the heavens at night, and
the rain-drops on the shanty window. She could read the names upon the
store signs and had often seated herself on the railroad tracks with a
bit o