Shame rose rampant in the boy's breast.
"I can't do it," he muttered under his breath.
But he knew all the time he would. The events of yesterday, culminating with Waldstricker's brilliant offer, closed every other path. He groaned, catching his lips tensely between his teeth. Some one had to suffer, but the sacrifice must not touch his mother nor estrange the Waldstrickers. That Madelene would be wronged by his action gave him little concern. But at that moment to hurt the girl at his side; oh, how he hated the bitter necessity! Conscious of the despicable part he was playing, but having really decided, he drew himself from the girl's arms. To gain a little more time, he thrust his fingers several times through his damp hair.
"Tess," he hesitated, "you've promised you'd never tell about our being married."
An encouraging touch turned the boy's twitching face to hers.
"An' I ain't never goin' to till ye let me," she asserted soothingly. "Ye ain't lettin' that worry ye, darlin', eh?"
She encouraged him to answer by the tender cadence on the end of her question.
"No, no, Tess!" Then desperately, "Oh, in God's name, how am I ever going to get it out?"
Tessibel became suddenly terror-stricken. It must be something very serious to force from him such language in such heart-rending tones. She shivered nervously.
"You mustn't think for a moment, Tess," the boy burst forth, with renewed courage, "that I don't love you! I shall love you always, always."
"Always," echoed Tess, reassured. If Frederick loved her, nothing else mattered. Perhaps his mother was--Her thought snapped in two at an ejaculation from Frederick.
"And what I do is because--well, because--I must," he stammered. "You understand that, don't you, sweetheart?"
"Sure," agreed Tess, puzzled.
"And nothing will ever be changed between you and me--"
"Nothin' can ever hurt us, Frederick," she interrupted quickly.
And Tess believed this to be the eternal truth. Faith the size of a grain of mustard seed had piloted her through severe storms. Since Daddy Skinner had been restored to her, that faith had grown to the size of the mountain itself.
"I won't let it," went on the student, swiftly. "Neither must you. You must trust me--you must believe! No, don't put your arms around my neck till I've finished!... And then, oh, my little girl, I shan't let you out of my arms, ever! ever!"
Greatly moved, he suddenly reached forth and drew her unresistingly to him, smothering her hair, her eyes with kisses, clinging to her, as if he would never, never let her go.
Her heart beat wildly against his.... And she loved him more than all the world, and loved God more because of him.