Part 18 (1/2)

Five small fingers touched his lips.

”Nothing is serious now,” came the interruption, ”not now that I know you love me. It's all I want in the world to make me supremely happy,”

and she sighed.

Frederick shuddered. Why, he hadn't told her he loved her! He was as far from loving her at that moment as the very stranger on the street.

”But it's something you must know,” he thrust in desperately.

”I know what it is,” averred the girl smiling. ”I know all about it....

It's just money, that horrid old money your mother borrowed of brother and me.... But what does money matter? I've lots of it, bunches of it, and more than enough for us all, and so has Ebenezer.”

Frederick shook himself impatiently. She must listen while he explained the impossibility of their ever being anything to each other.

”I couldn't take--”

”I'm not asking you to take anything but me,” laughed the girl. ”Just me, see? There, dearest! Now don't talk of anything disagreeable tonight. I just want to be happy.”

And like a contented, purring kitten, she once more settled herself against him. Somehow Frederick couldn't tell her of Tessibel just then.

The right moment had come and gone. In the morning he would! By the light of the day it would be easier. Then he would explain everything to her and his mother.

”Put your arms around me,” whispered Madelene.

Thrusting Tessibel from his mind, he drew the little figure close into his arms.

”Kiss me,” she breathed, and two hours later, when Frederick Graves shut his bedroom door, he had promised to marry Madelene Waldstricker.

CHAPTER XI

FREDERICK INTIMIDATED

Confused and angry with himself and Madelene, Frederick crossed the room slowly.

What an awful mess! Married to Tessibel and engaged to marry Madelene!

His mother sick and head over heels in debt to the Waldstrickers! The situation was becoming more complicated by the hour. He sat down by the open window to think. The simple thing, and what he really wanted to do, was to announce his marriage and let himself and the others take the consequences. He didn't intend to give up Tess, and for a few minutes his memory was alive with all the suffering of his brave young wife during the past two years. What she had done for his sister Teola made him shudder with grief. There was no other woman in the world like Tess, and the sweetness of his intimate experiences since his marriage touched him to tears.

”I won't give her up,” he groaned aloud, ”whatever happens, I'll stand by Tess. She's worth all the rest--I love her better than life itself.

In the morning I'll tell mother and Madelene the truth.”

But no sooner had he reached this conclusion, than the many embarra.s.sing consequences his confession entailed presented themselves. He could hear his mother's querulous complaints. She hated Tess, blaming the little squatter girl for the trouble which had made her an invalid and taken her husband from her. Would he be compelled to choose between his affection for his mother and his love for Tess? No, surely not that!

Yet there was Madelene! How could he face her, after all that had happened. He bitterly regretted his weakness in permitting the girl to avow her love for him, in engaging himself to her.

And worst of all, that harrowing debt! He groaned at the thought of it.

Madelene had told him, ”Your mother won't have to worry any more, dear.