Tess of the Storm Country

en had intended-Ben didn't know just what his intentions were. He stopped short when his eyes fell upon Frederick's log. It took a long time for a thought to be born in the dense brain of the

gged curtain-all was quiet. He quickly ran his long arm into the openin

long in the direction of his log, but Ben, gorged with the instincts of an inquisitor, snatched him up as he was about to escape. After divesting Frederick of all the ornaments which nature had given him, the man allowed him to hop about, grinning, as he watched the rapid leaps of the toad. Frederick had forgotten th

he hole in the log, and with but a hasty glance at the dirty cu

times seen the minister's son who lived in the big house on the hill and not even to herself had she mentioned that he was her ideal of manhood-he was as far above her as the

ger as he noted the absence of a fire, and spoke rather mournfully, but Tess cut him short. The lithe young form bounded squarely upon the bible-back of the fisherman. She drew back his shag

supper when I loves ye like this. Daddy, I could

fingers from his hair. "I air tired, Brat, and there be netti

irl softly, "square where I does my eatin's." And square on "the bill" the

inner presently, his mouth full of bread and fish, "and ye'd best duck yer h

red lips to spread wi

y, ye air, and I loves y

ckly and cam

o her eyes met his, "Can't I go nettin' to-

e and the pleading in the eyes so like her mother's. He d

Don't ... now there be a kiss ... sit

lf. She had turned back to her place at the table an

ther, Tess," cautioned Skinner, rising from t

in. Thrusting his powerful head down between his shoulders, he pulled lazily away at the oars unt

d many kisses, "square on the bill," she watched her father's bent shoulders, rising and falling with the motion of the oars as long as she could see him, and turning, scudded through the underbrush which grew in profusion near the forest-up

ra, and she must never, never again look at the student Graves. She felt that to see his face, even from a distance, would cause her to drop dead before him. Every muscle tingled and her ey

ringing over the lake in glorious ton

the pe

or the

ds upon her chilblained feet, for she had never known the luxury of shoes. She had also seen the dying and

soul, while Myra Longman could hear only the songs of angels in the exquisite tones which fell, pure and sweet, from the red lips. Tess k

ered that day by the word of a fisherman, and the woman's heart grew larger and larger, until the squatter girl felt that it was going to burst. Something crawled over her bare foot and

on't dare carry him even a little way for fear he'll

rd beside the roc

Longman cabin, she raised

the pe

or the

d the door and

man. "The brat air sick to-day. He does nothin' but squall so that

, who resembled her mother, but was smaller

esponded Tessibel

p and his fists opened out as Tessibel began to sing. This t

shermen and the small members of the family slept on rope beds, let down from the ceiling. But Myra's child, still too te

Myra when Tessibel had seated herself again. "I air alw

Tessibel, "and Daddy can row fast

h the permit to shoot, that's what I fears

, for Ezra was going a crooked path, while Myra, well-the brat slept in

ed in color, Tessi

heres decent," the woman broke in sharply, afte

was pleading, "it a

nly of ye to-night, Myra, look at the mess that Ezry's a mak

y no one," said Tess sullenl

d what's more, yer better off with a man what will look aft

shook h

o use; don't li

ther; "if the right woman gets him, Tess, he'll make her

ered perceptibly, and Myra thought she r

r her, ma, d

in the woman pettishly, "we might all been better o

lance at the

asked Tessibel sharply,

ome-be-chan

Nope, 'tain't nothin' to do with the brat. I loves him, I do

's bare toe with hers

n' to such things as toads, lizards and snakes, shows as how ye needs some one to help ye. God'll m

own deepened on the girl's brow. She hated Ezra Long

warned Mrs. Longman as she went to bed, clambering up