one! Tess staggered forward, and a
few minutes afterward, when Andy slipped down the ladder, he found her
curled up on the cot insensible, her face shrouded in red curls.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE QUARREL

When Frederick Graves closed the door of the Skinner hut, he wheeled
furiously upon his young wife.

"Come home," he said gruffly. "You've done enough harm for today."

"If I've done more than you have," retorted Madelene, tartly, "then I'm
some little harm maker!" Suffering intensely from jealousy, she whirled
about, crying, "That's what's been the matter with you all the time
we've been abroad! And I know very well Tessibel Skinner sent for you to
come home."

"That's a lie," interrupted Frederick, fiercely.

Madelene paused in her ascent of the hill lane.

"What made you come down here today, then, if you didn't want to see her
yourself?"

Frederick was silent. He hated scenes like this. If he spoke his real
mind, he'd plunge himself into hot water at once. And he was always
careful not to do that. Silence at the present moment was better than
speech. Besides, his late contact with Tessibel Skinner had left him
aquiver. Oh, how he loved her! Every nerve in his body called out for
sight of his beloved. He would have gone back to the shack if he'd
dared.

"Where did you leave your horse?" snapped Madelene, when they'd nearly
reached her own.

"In the lower stable at my father's old place,--over there."

"I'll help you mount and then get my horse," said he. "Do you wish to
ride on without me?"

Mrs. Graves made a dissenting gesture.

"No, of course, I don't. I want you to come with me directly. I won't
let you out of my sight so near that girl. I think it's perfectly
outrageous! I somehow believe you lied to me about--"

"Keep your opinions to yourself," growled Frederick. "I've no wish to
hear them."

Madelene was about to put her foot into the stirrup. Instead, she stood
while fresh tears gathered under her lids.

"Frederick, you're cruel and awfully ugly to me," she said plaintively.
"How can you do such things after _all_ the money I've given you?"

Frederick expressed his feeling by a cynical little laugh.

"Perhaps if you didn't throw up your confounded benevolence so often, I
might show more gratitude," he snapped back.

Then he lifted her to the saddle, gave her the bridle, and walked beside
her to the barn.

His thoughts were busy until, when they reached home, the silence
betwe