Part 44 (1/2)

Sandy, rage working alive in his eyes, tried to obey the churchman. But the girl took another step away.

”Gimme yer hand,” growled Sandy.

All he wanted was to get the squatter girl into his possession. He had not forgotten the threats he had made in other days, and in another hour, he would wring from her the name he wanted.

”No,” said Tess again.

”You mean you're not going to marry Mr. Letts?” asked Griggs.

Tessibel caught her breath, swayed, but shook her head.

”No, I ain't goin' to marry 'im,” she answered.

Marry Sandy Letts, a man she hated! Of course she couldn't!... She was already married. She couldn't commit such a sin as that, not even if--if--She turned a little and glanced in the direction of Frederick, but dropped her eyes before they found him.

Waldstricker grew intense with suspense, and a sudden determination to test his and Madelene's suspicions came over him.

”Frederick,” he cried, ”come here and help us force this huzzy to marry the man who betrayed her!”

Frederick rose from his chair as though to obey, and in turning, looked squarely into the girl's eyes.

”My G.o.d, Eb, I can't!” he protested, his voice thick with horror. ”Let her go, Eb! For G.o.d's sake, man, you can't marry her against her will!

Let her go!”

He sank down, and rested his head on his arms upon the chair back, his shoulders shaking violently.

The minister came to Tessibel's side. He placed a pitying hand on her head, facing his elders.

”Let her go home, brethren,” he entreated. ”You can't make her do this thing if she refuses, and the ... business can go on without her.”

”She's a wicked girl,” snorted Ebenezer, with a bitter twist of his lips.

”I say to let her go,” repeated Griggs.

”And I say she shall be punished,” Waldstricker glared from the minister to the elders and then rested his gaze on Frederick, who was by this time sobbing in great gulps.

Pastor Griggs considered his paris.h.i.+oner's angry face. Griggs was young and stood in awe of some members of his flock--Waldstricker most of all, but the sight of the girl in such anguish overcame his timidity, and he cried:

”Let him that is without sin among you first cast a stone at her.”

Tessibel sank sobbing to the floor, and her pastor stood by her side, hand uplifted, waiting.

Then over Ebenezer's countenance flashed a look of self-righteous fanaticism, which made large the pupils of his dark eyes and inflamed his swarthy skin deepest crimson. He strode to the stove, picked from the scuttle a ragged chunk of coal, and when he turned again, he had changed from red to white. Crazed, he took two steps toward the kneeling girl.

”I can cast the first stone,” he said swiftly.

He lifted his arm and before any man could stay his hand, something whirled through the intervening s.p.a.ce and struck the kneeling squatter girl. High pandemonium broke loose. Voices, some censorious, some approving, contended.

”I have first cast a stone at her,” cried Waldstricker, above the din.