hat?" The tones of the squatter were eager, her
eyes so bright that Teola did not answer for a moment.

"He says that there is no girl as good as you, and that your faith in
God is what he would rather have than anything else in the world.... Oh,
Tess, if I could only believe, and be sure that soon the baby and I
could go to--his father!"

"If ye asks, ye can go," replied Tess solemnly. "The student says what
ye asks with faith ye'll get. Ain't that enough to prove it?"

This fell reverently from the lips of the girl. Faith in Frederick
rather than faith in God had given birth to her believing soul. But
neither girl realized it. Both were silent for some minutes. Teola was
looking dreamily at the opposite hill, the basket with its precious
burden already hanging on the squatter's arm. Tess had learned that such
loud smacks as the infant was giving were indicative of hunger. So she
made a move to go.

"I takes him back to feed him. He air hungry."

"Oh, Tess, if I could only feed him! If I could only always have him! I
wish--I wish I were a squatter. Then I would face the world with my
baby.... Oh, I am so unhappy and ill!"

True, she was ill, for there came to Tessibel's ears a cough that echoed
against the rocks with the familiar sound of death in it. It sounded
like that of a fisherwoman she had known in a shanty below the great
rocks, who had died and been taken to the Potter's field.

"I air a-prayin' every day," said Tess, with a lump in her throat, "that
ye be taken with the brat to the sky--to the brat's pa what ye loves....
Air that the prayin' ye wants?"

Teola nodded, and Tess, smiling tenderly, hesitated, and whispered:

"The student's God can do anything He wants to. Asks Him to let ye go
'cause ye be sick, and the brat air sick, too, and--the winter'll be
cold for him."

She touched the handle on her arm lightly, turned, and disappeared.

Teola sat for some moments dry-eyed, looking at the high hill across the
blue water, thinking of the next few weeks, and of how she and the babe
would be called away. If she only had the precious uplifting faith of
Tessibel! Something must come to her and the baby. Her stern father, who
hated Tessibel Skinner with all his heart, must never know of the little
Dan. Her mother, weary and nervous, would go to her grave from the
shock; and Frederick--

Teola straightened at the thought of her brother. He would help her in
all things, even in the tragedy that now c