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Updated: June 13, 2025
A definite shake of her head and another quick glance was Tessibel's answer. "I wants to read the Bible," she said, presently turning toward the professor; "it air a dum hard book to read, I hear." Professor Young tugged at the corners of his mustache to keep down a smile. "It would be easy for you to read any book if you went to school," he told her. "How old are you?" "Comin' sixteen."
But to Ezra, Ben, and Professor Young she had told the truth. The weakness of the squatter as he sat on the floor, panting for breath, aroused Tessibel's sympathy, and she proffered him a cup of little Dan's milk. "Drink it," she commanded, "and then scoot to yer mammy. And and ye needn't say as how I air a-carin' for another woman's brat, will ye, Ezy?"
Daddy Skinner gradually felt better, and during the morning Tessibel's youthful spirits rose by leaps and bounds. All through the day she warbled out her happiness, lovingly bantering the two crippled men. Thus the minutes crept on to eventide, to that hour on the ragged rocks with Frederick. She left the shanty early, that she might commune undisturbed for a time with her dear wild world.
"God forbid," ejaculated Young, "that I should live ever to wish away a man's life on any personal motive." Tessibel's sweet upturned face, shrouded in red-brown hair rose before him, but it did not obscure the dark flush that swept over the handsome face of the minister. The professor had intimated that he thought personal motives were being used to persecute the squatter.
Somehow, Ben's mind went back to the toad, when it also had borne its misery dumbly. "Satisfied" Longman, stooping down, grasped the girl and stood her on her feet. No one had ever seen Tess like this. Ben leered, the sides of his fat cheeks protruding in the joyful emotion he felt at Tessibel's suffering. "He killed the gamekeeper," he grinned, leaning back against the wall.
"It ain't no other squatter's brat, air it?" "No, no, Frederick," replied Teola, white and wan; "she has told you the truth it isn't another squatter's child." Hope died in the boy and outraged feeling leaped into its place. He held Tessibel's eyes with his relentlessly.
It had been so sudden that Tess screamed, and the witch muttered a curse. The rain tore its way through the small dirty room; the bats loosened their hold upon the wooden rafters and circled the darkness, first into the open, then into the room against and away from Tessibel's face, until the girl broke into wild weeping. Ma Moll had failed to find the cross.
He had drawn on his coat preparatory to leaving, and stood with Tessibel's hand in his. A sharp, quick knock on the door stayed his farewell. Orn Skinner lifted the latch, and Frederick Graves entered at the fisherman's bidding. His face was drawn and pale, his eyes red from weeping.
Happy in the companionship of a condemned murderer, and happy with a nameless child! His eyes went to the little one on the chair. Yes, the three of them were happy. Tessibel's love was bound up in Andy and the baby, and the dwarf had forgotten his own danger to serve the other two. To help in the same loyal and unselfish way would be his future work.
A pleading face flashed across his vision and Tessibel's voice rang anew in his ears. He was living over again the moments spent in the cabin, and his heart thrilled at the memory of the momentary glance sent to him over the heads of the spectators in the crowded court-room. Teola entered the drawing-room, turning the conversation from Tess to the pleasure of the evening.
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