ate which gave him
the use of the few feet of ground upon which his shanty stood.

Still the Dominie insisted that some day he would rid his summer home of
the pest and the time had come.

After leaving Tessibel he walked up the long lane leaning on the arm of
his son, sputtering against his enemies.

"The very idea of that malicious brat jumping upon me as she did. She
ought to have a sound whipping."

Frederick shivered slightly. His heart was full of sympathy for the
primitive girl who had so devotedly loved her toad.

"We would be rid of the whole family if we could get that girl away,"
went on his father, "then I could file a request to take what belongs to
me. Hall said only to-night that he would like to see all the squatters
gone. We've decided to make a move."

Frederick tried to make a small complaint, but the minister commanded
him to silence.

"Get rid of them I will, do you hear?" he shouted, "they have no moral
right there whatever the law says. Get rid of them, I will."

When the Dominie reiterated strongly his whole family remained silent,
and this time Frederick dared pass no remark. He wondered if it were not
for just such people as the Skinners that the Christ had suffered. He
felt an incentive rising in his heart to seek guidance from the Book,
for although Frederick Graves greatly reverenced his father he would not
give up his own opinions without a struggle.

"I've got this Skinner just where I want him after all these years,"
hurled forth the minister, as they passed the pear orchard, and then
added:

"But I don't understand how you came to be in the hut."

"I heard the girl crying," replied Frederick curtly.

"I missed you when we left Hall's," explained the Dominie. "Charlie
called me back to ask about the plans for the new church, and if I had
not whistled just when I did, you might have been in that hut still, I
suppose."

Frederick found himself wishing that his father had not whistled, his
mind going back to the girl in the shanty, whom he had left with her
living grief--and her dead.

He saw his sister, Teola, standing on the broad porch waiting for them.
The girl scented something unusual in the angry tones of her father's
voice. She followed Frederick alone into the library which looked out
upon Tessibel's hut.

"What's the matter?"

Frederick shrugged his shoulders impatiently.

"Nothing much."

The brother and sister had grown into a confidential friendship durin