Part 22 (2/2)

”It's a lot o' money,” she said thoughtfully.

Letts. .h.i.tched his chair nearer the cot and bent over eagerly.

”Sure it air, Tessie,” he said, ”an' I air here today a purpose to tell ye somethin'. I want you an' yer pa to listen wise to me fer a minute. I air goin' to git that there five thousand an' I air goin' to marry you.”

Tess started to speak, but Lysander stopped her with a wag of his head and a wave of his hand.

”I said for ye to listen,” he cried brusquely. ”Ye ain't havin' offers like mine every day, miss, an' yer Daddy won't never have no chances like I air givin' 'im. I said listen, an' here air what I say.

”It won't be more'n a week afore I hand that dwarf over to the warden.

Burnett air comin' down from Auburn. He air almost here by this time.

Then when I git the money, I air a goin' to put yer Daddy in a nice place where he'll get rid of 'is rheumatiz, an' after that I air goin'

to fix my shack up with a lot of new stuff, an' ye can have the choosin'

of it, brat, an' there air my word, by G.o.d.”

Sandy gazed from father to daughter with a broad smile. He had delivered his speech in pompous pride, his voice rising higher and louder with each word.

”What do ye say, Orn?” he demanded.

Skinner looked at Tess out of the corner of his eye. He could see her lips moving ever so slightly, and he knew she was murmuring a prayer for the little man in the straw. His own eyes felt stinging tears around their lids.

”Ye'll have to settle it with the brat,” said he at length, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. ”I've allers said 's how if Tess wanted to git married, I wouldn't say nothin' 'gainst it, as long as she got a good man.”

”An' I air that,” Sandy affirmed positively. ”'Course I been in jail more'n fifty times, an' mebbe I'll git in fifty times more, but that don't do a man no harm as I knows of. I'd allers leave a little money home for my fambly.”

He threw his bold, black eyes upon the little figure in the bed, and the girl dropped her lids.

”How about it, Tessie?” he wheedled in low tones.

Tess wriggled. She didn't know just what answer to give. She wanted to keep the big squatter good-natured, yet desired that he should go away.

She was sorry for the little man beneath her.

Prompted by instinct, she turned her solemn brown eyes upon Letts.

”I'll say this to ye, Sandy,” she began. ”If ye'll let me alone, an' not be tryin' always to kiss me--”

Lysander cracked his knee with one large fist.

”I ain't never got a kiss from ye yet, brat,” he chuckled.

”'Course not,” she responded; ”but 'tain't because ye ain't fit fer one, now air it, Sandy?”

”No, ye can bet on that,” laughed the man, ”an' I got marks on my s.h.i.+ns to this day you put on 'em the last time I tried it. But I like to see ye fight, brat, I swear I do.... Now, how about gettin' married to me, huh?”

Tessibel contemplated the heavy face a moment. She was going to drive a hard bargain with Lysander if she had to drive any at all.

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