y" had been taken to prison in
Auburn, and she had planted herself in his arms not to be removed, so
Tess hung to Frederick. Ben Letts was forgotten, the suffering child in
the Longman shanty whom she loved was forgotten; even Daddy Skinner was
forgotten. Tessibel had found her man, and all the experiences of her
kind could not help her in her hour of temptation.

"Tessibel, Tess, we can't forget, stand up." The boy's words spread
through the dazed brain. Frederick dragged her arms from his neck,
forcing her to the stool.

"Tessibel, have you forgotten--the Christ, your father and me?"

Had she forgotten him? Only him she had remembered--only his voice rang
through her like the sweetest music. But she was so quiet now that the
boy seated himself beside her, drawing her hands into his.

"Tess," he began, intensely, bending to look into the flushed face,
"Tess--look at me!"

Slowly the brown eyes dragged their gaze upward until the boy and girl
were staring wide-lidded directly at each other.

"Tess, have you ever thought that, some time, we might be more to each
other--some time in the future when you have learned and studied much?"

Wonderingly she drew her hands from his, hiding them in the folds of the
torn gingham skirt.

"I air a squatter," she got out at last. "You be high--I air low, as Ben
Letts said.... But, but," she faltered, finishing her sentence brokenly,
"But I's yer squatter."

For one bitter moment the Longman child with its old-man face flitted
across her vision. She shivered, rose hastily, and went to the stove,
scattering the lids from their openings before uttering another word.

Frederick was watching her critically.

"You ought to go to school, Tess," he said presently.

"I has to stay here," she replied beginning to stir the embers. "If I
left the hut alone yer pappy could fire it, and Daddy and me wouldn't
have a home.... Ain't nice nights like this to be without a roof to
cover ye."

Frederick realized this. Had he not been that very night with no place
to lay his head, and no kindly hand save hers to give him something to
eat? He flushed deeply at the mention of his father, and marveled that
the squatter girl had not spoken with any hard feeling in her tone. It
was what could be expected--so her voice implied; if she left the shanty
alone, the rightful owner could then take back what the law would not
allow if the squatters remained.

"Ye be a goin' to stay here to-morry?" aske