"The student," replied Tess. "He said as how I shouldn't steal no more milk for the brat. I takes the student's money, I does."
A faint suspicion flashed over the lawyer.
"You told me the truth about the child belonging to a woman on the hill?"
Without answering his question, Tess stammered, "Ye said as how ye trusted me, and I were happy because ye did.... Ain't ye trustin' me now?"
"Yes, child; but I am so bitterly unhappy over you, and my love for you makes me jealous--"
"Of the student?" queried Tess.
"Yes."
"Well, ye needn't care no more about him, 'cause he don't like me no more. He ain't never carin'--" She cut the words off with a snap. "I were a-goin' to lie then," she went on slowly. "He air a-carin', but--but--"
She dashed a loose curl from her eyes, and flung herself headlong upon the bed, with a burst of sobs that drew Young quickly to her.
"Tessibel Skinner, you love Frederick Graves?"
Tess straightened, and looked at him fearfully.
"Yep, I air a-lovin' him," she wailed.
"And he doesn't love you?"
"He be a-lovin' me, too." She was hardly able to utter the words.
"Then why do you weep, if you love him and he loves you?"
Tessibel's eyes settled upon the babe, yawning in the sun. Young followed her gaze.
"The child has separated you?" he said slowly.
"Yep."
"Why?"
"'Cause--'cause--"
All Teola's perfidy rushed over her in a twinkling. All the student's suffering stung her as if she had been struck in the face. She bounded from the bed, possessed of a dark spirit.
"A damn bloke air a-doin' it. It were a oath I took.... Will you go now?--Please!"
"Yes," assented Young. "But it is all a mystery to me. I cannot understand it."
And Tessibel, thinking of Teola, the child, and its dead father, muttered: "I ain't understandin' it, nuther.... Good-bye."
Transfixed, Tess stood for many minutes where Young had left her. A shadow dropped upon the path. Teola, pale and ill, came toward her, and she did not move.
"My father and brother have gone to Ithaca, and I--Tessibel! Tess, don't look at me that way! Don't! don't!"
"You forgot to tell him," dropped from the squatter's lips.
"No, I didn't forget. Tessibel, I've tried, and I can't tell him.... I haven't the courage," she ejaculated, waiting long for a reply from the rigid girl. Her lips trembled as she faltered: "My father was cruel to you, Tess!"