d Tess later by five minutes.

"If I may."

"Be ye goin' to tell me what ye air hidin' for?"

Frederick threw back his head and laughed. He had forgotten to tell her.

"Of course. You see I am the freshman class president.... The boys in
the upper classes kidnaped me, and kept me prisoner in an unused house
at the inlet.... I escaped last night, and you brought me here."

The story was so tame--so unlike what Tess had expected to hear that she
drew a long, disappointed breath. There had been a vague wish within her
heart that she were going to be of infinite benefit to him. It was such
a little thing to lose a fine supper. His life had not been in danger as
she had supposed.

"You understand, Tess, that it's a disgrace to our class not to have the
president there," Frederick burst forth, "even if he is kept away by
force. I would rather sacrifice anything than have it happen--only, I do
not want to harm your good name, Tessibel."

Tess stared at him blankly.

"Squatter's brats don't have no names.... Ye can't do me any harm."

"Oh, yes, I could," insisted Frederick. "What if that scoundrel who was
here a little while ago should say that I were here?... It would harm us
both."

Tess paused in her breakfast preparations long enough to say simply,

"Yer Christ wouldn't let him harm ye, would He?"

The boy swept her with an incredulous glance.

Did she so thoroughly have faith in a miraculous interference in human
affairs by divine power? The delicate face was lighted with exquisite
coloring which came and went in the morning light like the tints of a
sea-shell. The bright trustful eyes were shining into his, every motion
of the lovely head and body bespeaking the blind faith in which the
squatter girl lived. Frederick found himself wishing impetuously with
all his soul that he could command a faith like hers. His own seemed so
dead, so unlike a living faith that he sighed as he turned toward her.

"Tessibel," he said honestly, "you are a better girl than I am a boy ...
I am learning many things from you." Then, looking up with a smile after
a moment's thought, he finished: "No, I believe with you, that it is
impossible for him to harm one of us if we have faith in God."

"So, I can help ye to-morry if ye ain't in Daddy's fix?"

Then Frederick understood that she would have saved him, even if he had
been in danger of his life.

"Yes," he replied, "you can aid me.... Do you know where my fraternity
is?"