or opened, and Ezra Longman stepped into the hut.
Tessibel's clear hearing could detect an unmistakable smack from the
babe.

"What did ye come for, Ezy?" she asked. "Air Myry all right, and yer
ma?"

"Yep. I come to see ye to-day. Ben Letts says as how ye air a-goin' to
marry him some time. Did ye tell him that?"

"Did he tell yer that?" asked Tess, instead of answering the boy's
question.

"Nope. Jake Brewer says as how Ben telled him one night that when yer
daddy air dead ye air goin' to his shanty. Ye ain't, air ye, Tess?" The
pale eyes of the young squatter boy darkened under the emotion that rose
in his breast. He looked at the girl he had loved since she had taken
her first step. Every wicked act he had committed he laid fretfully at
the door of her refusal to marry him.

Tessibel watched Ezra, waiting for him to speak again. She feared the
child would cry out--feared that the dark secret of the improvised
cradle would get into the hands of her enemies.

"Daddy ain't a-goin' to die," she said, quietly giving the grape-basket
a touch with her foot, and deftly shoving it under the bed. Another
smack told her that the infant was awake.

"And, what air more, Ezy, I ain't a-goin' to marry Ben Letts, or nobody
else, for a lot of years.... I air a-goin' to wait here for Daddy."

"And if yer Daddy goes dead?" inquired Ezra longingly.

"If he goes dead," she interrupted, lifting her unfathomable eyes, "if
he air hanged, then I comes to the Longman shanty and marries yer....
Now go, dum quick!"

She had quieted one of her enemies with a promise which she would never
be forced to keep. For was not the student's God going to save Daddy
Skinner? And wasn't she going to Auburn prison to see him? That clean
skirt in the corner, washed and dried in the sun, Tess was going to
wear. She was going with the great man from the hill. Suddenly came the
thought of the babe. With whom could she leave it? Her face whitened
with grief.... Of course she could not go now.

She turned again to Ezra, who was loitering at the door.

"Ye go now, Ezy, and tell Myra I ain't a-comin' this evenin', and I
hopes her brat won't be yelping too much."

* * * * *

The next day Tess appeared at the back of the minister's cottage, with a
basket slung over her arm. Rebecca ushered her up the stairs to the
pretty blue room. Teola moved her head languidly, but, recognizing her
visitor, brightened a little.

"I