mother nor estrange the
Waldstrickers. That Madelene would be wronged by his action gave him
little concern. But at that moment to hurt the girl at his side; oh, how
he hated the bitter necessity! Conscious of the despicable part he was
playing, but having really decided, he drew himself from the girl's
arms. To gain a little more time, he thrust his fingers several times
through his damp hair.

"Tess," he hesitated, "you've promised you'd never tell about our being
married."

An encouraging touch turned the boy's twitching face to hers.

"An' I ain't never goin' to till ye let me," she asserted soothingly.
"Ye ain't lettin' that worry ye, darlin', eh?"

She encouraged him to answer by the tender cadence on the end of her
question.

"No, no, Tess!" Then desperately, "Oh, in God's name, how am I ever
going to get it out?"

Tessibel became suddenly terror-stricken. It must be something very
serious to force from him such language in such heart-rending tones. She
shivered nervously.

"You mustn't think for a moment, Tess," the boy burst forth, with
renewed courage, "that I don't love you! I shall love you always,
always."

"Always," echoed Tess, reassured. If Frederick loved her, nothing else
mattered. Perhaps his mother was--Her thought snapped in two at an
ejaculation from Frederick.

"And what I do is because--well, because--I must," he stammered. "You
understand that, don't you, sweetheart?"

"Sure," agreed Tess, puzzled.

"And nothing will ever be changed between you and me--"

"Nothin' can ever hurt us, Frederick," she interrupted quickly.

And Tess believed this to be the eternal truth. Faith the size of a
grain of mustard seed had piloted her through severe storms. Since Daddy
Skinner had been restored to her, that faith had grown to the size of
the mountain itself.

"I won't let it," went on the student, swiftly. "Neither must you. You
must trust me--you must believe! No, don't put your arms around my neck
till I've finished!... And then, oh, my little girl, I shan't let you
out of my arms, ever! ever!"

Greatly moved, he suddenly reached forth and drew her unresistingly to
him, smothering her hair, her eyes with kisses, clinging to her, as if
he would never, never let her go.

Her heart beat wildly against his.... And she loved him more than all
the world, and loved God more because of him.

But he released her almost immediately, and Tessibel sank back, sighing.
She was no longer nervous