e means or
other he wriggled his way out of prison--"

Tessibel's lips trembled and she turned her eyes away. Old memories
rushed over her, memories of the cold winter when she'd been alone in
the shack.

"An' ye thought 'cause Daddy'd been up there once, the man must a run
right straight here, huh?" she accused, with a sob in her voice.

"Well, I'll admit till I saw you I thought--I thought, but now--," a
negative gesture with his hand finished his answer.

Tessibel turned withering, tear-wet eyes on her visitor.

"I 'spose ye air thinkin' my Daddy even had something to do with his
flyin' the coop?" she flared up. "Air that it?"

"No! No! I didn't think that at all," the under-warden made haste to
deny. "I just couldn't think that about _your_ father."

Tessibel dimpled, suddenly glowing like a vivid poppy.

"Thank ye," she whispered, wiping away the tears. "Why! My Daddy
wouldn't do nothin' bad for anythin' in the world. He's the best old
Daddy livin'."

"Of course he is," vouched the warden, placatingly, "but what I want to
know is would you mind, or would it hurt your feelings--The fact is, I
came to search this house."

Tess had expected this, and without demurring, flashed forth,

"Ye mean ye want to go 'round it, don't ye, lookin' in all the corners
an' places; air that it, sir?"

Burnett acknowledged this by a nod.

"Sure, search it if ye want to, I don't mind. Ye'll 'scuse me not
gettin' up, won't ye? There ain't much to search, but ye can go in the
garret if ye want to. It air only a cubby hole; even the weest man in
the hull world couldn't stand up in it."

Andy stirred perceptibly beneath her.

"Then there air Daddy's room," Tess continued, "an' this room air the
kitchen an' the dinin' room an' the parlor, an' all the other rooms....
An'--an' it air my room, too."

"My God, but you're a cute kid!" he chuckled.

Tessibel's laugh rang out deliciously fresh and free, and Burnett caught
it up and sent it back in one loud guffaw. Then the girl lifted one of
her curls and spread it out to its extreme length. Tess had been born
possessing all the arts of her sex, and used them effectively, upon an
occasion like this.

"I wish my ankle wasn't wrapped up," she smiled hospitably. "I'd show ye
'round the shanty myself. Ye noticed the hedge when ye come in, didn't
ye? Well--I planted that an' all the flowers--and this owl belongs to me
an' I keep 'im in the garret,--an'--I almost got a dog once, b