of faith and uplifted confidence in God's goodness."

His voice was silenced by a half-smothered cry dragging itself from the
squatter's throat. Then he noted that something was wrong. Teola, pale
and wretched, had gradually placed a greater distance between herself
and the wooden box. Tess had involuntarily drawn closer to it. She dully
comprehended that Teola was ashamed of the rabbit-like body, struggling
for a mere existence. Expressions of consternation, of indecision and
terror swept over her face. Her eyes dropped for an instant upon the
silent infant. The child gave one great yawn, and whiningly dropped the
sugar rag. Just at this juncture, lightning flashed through the cracked
window and played above the face of the babe until the red of the fire
mark from head to shoulder glowed crimson under the blotched skin. The
tiny, scrawny arms were bare, the withered mouth opened and shut,
gapingly. As the eyes of the boy fell upon it, he went so deadly white
that Tess thought he was going to fall. Without a word, he walked to the
box, considering the wrinkled baby face like a man in a trance. His gaze
took in the flaming brand, the gray eyes fastened upon the candlelight,
and the tiny, searching fingers, which constantly sought something they
could not find. It seemed an eternity before he gathered himself
together, forcing his eyes upward to rest first on Teola, then upon
Tess.

He was the first to speak.

"Where--did--that--child--come--from?"

There was imperious inquisition in the dark eyes.

His voice had changed, until the deepness of it was terrifying.

Teola came nearer to him. Tessibel dropped down beside the infant.

"I want to know where--that child--came from?" commanded the boy once
more. "Whose child is it?"

Tess swung her body round upon the shanty floor, turning cloudy,
rebuking eyes upon Teola. She, Tessibel Skinner, crouching squatter-like
over Dan Jordan's baby, had sworn never to tell Frederick his sister's
secret, and no thought of doing so entered her mind. The minister's
daughter must speak the truth. The mother of the babe would answer the
question put by the student.

Quickly Tess turned over her great desire for the freedom of her father,
followed by the passionate wish to retain the love and prayers of
Frederick Graves. If she denied the child, he would turn upon his
sister, and the shivering girl would divulge her trouble. It would be
the same as breaking her oath. Yet Frederick m