head sank nearer and
nearer the fire-marked child, her shock of red hair falling like a
mantle of gold across its thin body. The twisting fingers entangled
themselves in the tawny curls, drawing the squatter down until her face
was almost in the box. With a grunt of abhorrence she spread out the
wiry little hands, extricating lock after lock.

Once free, she squatted back upon her feet, scrutinizing the child with
no sign of sympathy in her eyes. Suddenly she caught a glimpse of the
forest and the lake beyond through the window. She could see the rain
falling in quantities into the water, and the great pine-tree, in which
sat her God of Majesty, whitened under the zig-zag glare of lightning.
The superstitious, imaginative girl rose unsteadily to her feet.
Pressing her face to the smeared pane, she saw the jagged lightning
tearing again toward the tree; then it played about the figure that Tess
had grown to love. The old man amid the branches bent toward the
squatter, and held out his waving arms. A cry burst from Tessibel's
lips. She opened the door, standing in bold relief against the
candlelight, and shot her hands far into the dark night.

"Oh, Goddy, Goddy!" she breathed, catching her breath in stifling sobs.
"The student air gone, and the Bible air burnt, and Daddy air in a
prison cell. Might'n I asks ye--?"

She turned, with heaving bosom, without finishing. Bending over the
child, she drew him into her arms. With the same sublime expression of
suffering, she went back to the open door and knelt in the beating rain,
and tendered the little child toward the God of her dreams.

"Might'n it please ye, Goddy, to bless the brat--and Tess?"

The student was no longer the motive power of her prayer. Tess, the
squatter, was struggling with a new faith of her own. Flash after flash
brightened the sky, and still she knelt, offering the sick child for her
God to bless. One long peal of thunder shook the inky waters, and
rumbled reverberatingly into the hills. Tessibel's eyes were riveted
upon the pine-tree. The wind dropped the shaking branches for a
minute--the arms extended straight toward her. With fast-falling tears
she bowed over the wailing baby, and stood up with a long breath.

"Goddy, Goddy, it air hard work for ye to forgive Tessibel, I knows....
To-day I loved the student best"--a sob tightened her throat--"to-night
I love you best, and ... and the Man hanging on the Cross."

She closed the hut door, and se