Part 21 (1/2)

And that was true, too! Tessibel didn't know just at that moment what she could do to save Andy from the officers, but of one thing she was certain; that beyond where the birds flew, and above the fast-moving clouds, and over all and under all, was an arm and a love upon which she had leaned and trusted, and they had never failed her. With this thought deepening the red-brown eyes, she turned and looked first at her Bible-backed father and then at the little dwarf.

”There air one thing ye both got to do,” she instructed them. ”Ye got to stop yer worryin' an' ye got to stop bein' 'fraid.”

Andy's jaw dropped.

”Stop bein' 'fraid!” he muttered. ”Stop bein' 'fraid! G.o.d, Tessibel, ye don't know what it means to allers be in the shadow of the prison, you don't.”

”Oh, yep I do,” interposed Tess, blandly, ”'course I do. Weren't Daddy Skinner there? An' Daddy never'd got out in this world if it hadn't been for a helpin' hand; the same'll help you, Andy.”

”She's talkin' of Professor Young,” grunted Orn, glancing at the dwarf.

Tess turned to her parent impatiently.

”I ain't nuther talkin' about Professor Young, Daddy. I ain't goin' to tell him Andy's here 't all! I'll tell you both who I mean right now.”

The men leaned forward, the dwarf's head shooting out like a turtle's.

”Who d'ye mean?” he entreated brokenly.

The color mantled Tessibel's brow and swept in rich waves over the lovely, earnest face.

”Jesus,” she breathed radiantly, flas.h.i.+ng her eyes from one to the other. ”Jesus jest air a dotin' on ye, Andy, ye poor little dub ye! He allers dotes on folks in trouble.”

”Shucks!” grunted Andy, and ”Holy thunderin' Moses!” fell from Daddy Skinner.

Tessibel stood up, an angry glint in her eyes.

”Ye can say, 'Shucks!' if ye want to, Andy, 'cause you don't know nothin'; but, Daddy Skinner, _you_ ought to be ashamed of yerself. Why, he's the man what got ye out of jail! I couldn't a done nothin', an'

Professor Young couldn't a done nothin' uther if Jesus hadn't helped him. An' now ye're saying, 'Holy thunderin' Moses,' just's if ye didn't believe it.”

The fisherman drew a shaking hand across his s.h.a.ggy chin whiskers.

”I s'pose I do believe it, brat,” he groaned, ”but it air all so kind a mysterious like, an' Young, ye know--Young fought like the devil to git me back home.”

”I know he did, Daddy,” affirmed the girl, ”but can't ye see ye'd a gone to the rope if--”

A shrill cry broke from the dwarf, interrupting Tessibel's explanation.

Those ominous words recalled his own terror of Auburn Prison. Tears gathered thick in his eyes and ran down his cheeks. The sight of the little man's misery so affected Tessibel that she wound one arm about his neck.

”Andy, darlin',” she comforted, ”don't blubber like that. Don't I say!

There, put yer head on Tessibel's shoulder! I air a goin' to mother ye a bit.”

She took up her skirt, wiped away the dwarf's fast-falling tears, and then her own.

”Now ye mustn't snivel,” she faltered, trying to be courageous. ”Why, if ye keep it up, I don't know what Daddy an' me'll do. Listen, Andy, listen to Tess.”

Placing a slender finger under his chin, Tess drew the wry face up until his tearful eyes were directed into hers.