TESSIBEL AND ELSIE
Gloom lay over the Silent City. Bitter hatred burned in the simple heart
of every squatter. Waldstricker's open enmity had expressed itself in a
series of injuries, calculated to enrage them. The shanty folk resented
his cruelty to Mother Moll. The destruction of her shack promised a
similar fate to their homes. When the story of Waldstricker's attack
upon Boy Skinner spread among them, fierce threats were muttered at the
fishing holes and by the firesides. The wintry winds of the Storm
Country, shrieking over the desolate masses of ice and snow, were not
more fierce and cruel than the squatters' demand for vengeance. The
daily bulletins of the little one's illness kept the interest alive and
added to the growing excitement and indignation.
Day after day, the doctor had come to the Young home, each time shaking
his head more gravely. To Deforrest, the helpless witness of the
unfolding tragedy, the days and nights were but a continuing torture.
Andy Bishop stole about the house like a small white ghost, waiting upon
Tessibel and Mother Moll. One morning, a few days before Christmas, the
doctor told Deforrest Young he considered Boy beyond earthly help. And
now it devolved upon the lawyer to tell Tessibel she must lose her baby.
He went softly to the sick room. Whiter than the pillow upon which his
cheek rested, Boy lay relaxed, breathing rapidly. Tess stood at the foot
of the bed, her hands clasped loosely in front of her. Anxious eyes
turned to greet Young. At the bedside the man stopped a moment and
looked down upon the little figure. Shocked by the imminent signs of
approaching dissolution, he went over and placed an arm around the girl.
"He's awful sick," Tess whispered. "What'd the doctor say?"
"I'm afraid, Tess--I'm afraid," he answered, unable to frame the medical
man's decision.
Dawning comprehension and dismay struggled in the young mother's eyes,
for the agonized tones of the well-loved voice and the tender solicitude
of the supporting arms had put into Young's halting words the dread
import of his message.
"You mean--you mean--?" she questioned.
"Tess, darling; my pretty child," Young murmured helplessly.
The red head dropped upon his chest and for a moment Tess clung to him
as though to find protection from the menacing horror. Then she freed
herself, dropped on her knees by the bedside, and rested her head on
Boy's little hand. During the hours of watching she had striven to steel
herself against this possibility. But she couldn't understand. Boy, her
cherished bit of living joy and sunshine! What would become of him?
Separation? Yes, but where was he going? She didn't know. She couldn't
think. A sudden shudder, a kind of voiceless sob shook her.
Young stood quietly by the bedside, watching and waiting. His love for
mother and son centered all his thoughts in them. He shared his
darling's grief and desired above everything to console her; but the
very depth of his sympathy prevented him. Hopeless himself, in this grim
crisis, every human effort seemed futile.
Placing a tender hand on her shaking shoulder, he bent down.
"My poor little girl!" he breathed. "I wish I could help you some way."
"Nobody ... can." The hopeless despair of her voice made vocal the utter
desolation she felt.
A gentle movement of the little hand against her face commanded
Tessibel's immediate attention. She smoothed the pillow the while she
whispered softly little words of love to Boy. Then she looked around at
Young.
"Please tell Andy to fix the kitchen fire," she said, even at this time
mindful of her domestic duties.
"I'll see to it myself," and he went out softly and down the stairs.
He found Andy in the sitting room.
"The doctor--what'd the doctor say?" the dwarf demanded.
"Go to 'er," trembled Young. "Brace her up all you can."
The little man went slowly upstairs and entered the sick chamber.
Through the tears in his eyes, he saw the dying babe in the white bed
and the young mother kneeling on the floor, the flaming red of the
clustering curls an incongruous note of brilliant color.
Andy waddled across the room and knelt down beside Tessibel. Lifting his
arm he let it fall across the girl's shoulders. His silent sympathy,
always unselfish, never intruded. Tess stared at Andy a moment, and then
buried her face in her hands upon the coverlet.
"He's going away," she got out through her fingers. "Andy, I can't let
'im go!"
"I've been prayin' for 'im, Tess," choked the dwarf.
The girl made no response, but to show her friend she'd heard, one of
her hands sought and held his.
"If it air right for 'im to stay, dear," murmured Andy, "the good God'll
help 'im.... Don't ye think so, Tess?"
"I don't know, Andy.... I'm afraid!... It's too awful!"
"Kid, ye know it air true. You've only to ask him," Andy insisted.
A hopeless shake of the bowed head accompanied the whispered answer.
"I can't, Andy! I can't!... I'm so afraid!"
"What you 'fraid of, brat, dear? Jesus air loving you same's He did in
the shack. He got Daddy Skinner out of prison, an' he took care of me,
didn't he, huh?"
Maddened by suffering, she drew herself impatiently, away from the
dwarf.
"Don't, Andy! I don't want to hear! He let Waldstricker whip my baby."
Although the young mother could hear the muttered prayers of the dwarf,
no answering faith came into her soul. Hot hatred of the man who'd
struck her son surged through her. Never again would she think of him
without the raging cry within her for revenge. Her anger barbed the
shafts of his rancor and dulled her own understanding of Life and Love.
Resentment inhibited every constructive effort. The courage, even the
desire to fight against death's coming, was wanting.
"I hate 'im worse than anything in the world," she muttered.
"Yes, darlin'," soothed the dwarf.
"I'd like to kill him. Oh, I must do something--" She tried to get to
her feet, but Andy held her tightly.
"Stay here!" was all he said, and Tess ceased to resist.
At midnight Boy died. He went away very quietly, without a cry or
struggle. At the very last, he turned upon his side, looked into his
mother's face, his eyes unshadowed and joyous. He smiled a little,
sighed with the passing breath, "Mummy," and sank to sleep. So dazed was
Tessibel that without protest she allowed Deforrest to pick her from her
knees and carry her out of the room.
Mother Moll and Andy performed the necessary services to the mortal clay
that'd been their darling. Loving fingers, tenderly touching the
delicate body, made Boy ready for the grave. Through the stillness of
the night, the sighing of the ceaseless wind of the Storm Country,
soughing of death and desolation, called to their minds the weird
superstitions of squatter lore. The old witch mumbled of signs, portends
and warnings, and uttered dire prophecies in which her wrath at
Waldstricker found expression.
* * * * *
While Tess and her squatter friends were carrying Boy through the sullen
cold to God's wind-swept half-acre, Ebenezer Waldstricker sat before the
glowing hickory logs in his sumptuous library. Several letters in his
morning mail required his presence in the city. On the table before him
lay a list of things he intended to buy for little Elsie's Christmas.
Since the day he'd whipped Tessibel's son and forced his wife from his
home he'd devoted himself to the little girl. In spite of his best
efforts, the child's grief for her mother had driven him almost to his
wits' end. He'd made up his mind to spare no expense to bring joy back
to his darling.
Whenever his mind reverted to the scene at the lake he tried to justify
his act in striking the little fellow, but the news of Boy's death had,
for a moment, given him an uncomfortable turn. He hadn't intended
anything like that. He wasn't to blame! Probably the little imp would
have died anyway!
Helen had sent every day to ask after Elsie, and the thought of his
wife's anxiety pleased the elder. Perhaps, after a while, the squatters,
as well as the members of his own household, would learn his word was
law; that he would not allow any of them to go against his will. Again
and again the corner curl of his lips showed his satisfaction.
Hearing the jingle of sleigh bells at the door, he rose from his chair
and slipped on his great coat and cap.
"Daddy, bring mover back," quivered Elsie, when he kissed her good-bye.
Waldstricker stooped and gathered her into his arms.
"Daddy'll bring Elsie lots of pretty things, and so will Santa Claus.
He's coming down the chimney tonight--"
"Elsie wants mover," sobbed the little one.
Ebenezer surrendered her to the nurse.
"Get her mind off crying," he said morosely. "Give her everything she
asks for."
"I can't," muttered the woman, and when the door had closed, "There,
there, child, don't cry! Your mother'll be comin' back some of these
days."
* * * * *
In the early afternoon Waldstricker bought and packed into the sleigh
all kinds of presents for his daughter. His spirits rose when he thought
that her demands for her mother would be quieted on Christmas Day.
It was quite dark when his powerful team fought their way through the
storm up to the porch of the house. While the man was coming for the
horses he took the bundles from the sleigh. At the door he met several
white-faced servants.
"What's the matter?" he queried, relieving his arms of their load.
"The baby!... We can't find her.... She's gone," said a voice.
"Gone! Gone where?" roared Waldstricker.
"Nobody knows, sir," gasped the nurse. "She was in the library looking
at the pictures--"
Waldstricker brushed past the speaker. He rushed through the house
calling his child frantically. In his wife's sitting room he stopped,
arrested by an illuminating thought.
Helen had stolen the baby! He drew a long breath that hissed through his
teeth. Of course, that was what had happened. Instant anger filled his
mind. He'd show her. He wouldn't stand it. He went below and called the
servants into his presence.
"Who was here this morning?" he questioned.
"Nobody." Not one of them had seen a person.
"Mrs. Waldstricker was here, wasn't she?" he insisted.
"No, Mrs. Waldstricker hasn't been home today."
The elder set his grim lips and went out again. Elsie was with her
mother! That Helen hadn't been to the house didn't prove anything. She'd
sent some one. Elsie wouldn't have gone away of her own accord.
When Ebenezer appeared at Madelene's home he was fuming with fury. His
sister greeted him cordially and ushered him into the drawing room.
"I'm glad you've come, Ebenezer. Helen's been crying ever since she's
been here."
"I'll make her cry more before I'm done with her," gritted Waldstricker.
"But, Ebenezer, she's sick. And you were so cruel to send her away like
that."
Waldstricker turned savagely upon the speaker, hands working
convulsively and face and eyes ugly from fear and anger.
"Never mind about that now--Where's Elsie?" he demanded. "I want her and
I want her right away."
Madelene fell back a step, wax-white.
"Elsie!" she echoed. "Isn't she home?"
"Madelene," Ebenezer began in a deadening voice, "you know me well
enough not to play with me like this. Where's my daughter?"
Madelene's hands came together.
"She's not here!... She's home, Ebbie, dear, she must be!"
"She's not!" fell from Waldstricker. "Call Helen!"
"Helen can't come down, Ebbie, she's in bed!"
"I'll see her." Low thunder rolled in his tones. His sister grasped his
arm.
"Be kind to her, Ebbie, dear--"
"I'll see her," repeated Ebenezer, not changing the tone of his voice.
Without another word, Madelene whirled and went toward the stairs, the
church elder following his sister with slow tread.
Helen turned her tired, white face to the visitors. At the sight of her
husband she sat up straight.
"Where's Elsie?" the man shouted harshly from the door.
Something had happened to her little girl! Her husband was asking for
the child! Mrs. Waldstricker jumped out of bed quickly.
"I haven't seen her," she answered. "Isn't she home?"
Then Waldstricker believed. Elsie had disappeared. She was not with her
mother!
"She's gone," was all he said, and, wheeling, went out.
* * * * *
Not one of the servants could tell Madelene or the distracted mother any
more than they had told the father.
The search began without the slightest clue of the child's whereabouts.
Elsie had disappeared, as if she had been snatched into the sky. The
storm, already very severe, had thickened the early twilight into dense
darkness. The light snow that had fallen earlier in the day to the
depth of several inches drove in swirling clouds before the wind and
piled in deep drifts, while the congealed air pelted icy particles of
frozen moisture into the confused uproar upon forest and field. Fear
that the child had started out to find her mother and had been overtaken
by the blizzard obsessed Waldstricker. He sent messengers in all
directions, and himself rode furiously through the snow inquiring
everywhere. Finding no trace of her at the neighboring houses, he
instituted a systematic search of the locality.
* * * * *
All the afternoon Young had sat with Tessibel, most of the time in
silence. She showed no desire to talk, and he knew not what to say.
Watching from the sitting room window, Tess seemed to find diversion in
the wind-driven snow, as though the blizzard's riot met and matched the
aching bewilderment in her own breast.
Nor did she pay any attention to a knock which resounded above the
beating of the storm. Deforrest went to the door and carried on an
undertoned conversation with some one outside. Then after dispatching
the caller, he went back to the girl.
"Tess," he hesitated, but his voice broke and he was unable to complete
his sentence. In responsive inquiry, she turned from the window and
looked up at him. The deep dejection of her attitude depicted her
despondency and despair. The brown eyes, dull and lustreless, staring
out of the drawn white face, expressed the hopeless wonderment the man
had seen in the glazing orbs of a stricken deer. A great wave of pity
welled up in him. How could he break this frozen composure and bring to
the overwrought heart the healing blessing of flowing tears?
"Tessibel," he continued, sitting down, "what were you thinking about?"
"I was wondering what I could do to ... hurt Waldstricker," she replied,
gripping the arms of her chair. Then she rose suddenly, throwing up her
head. The intensity of her emotion fanned the dull coals of hate in her
eyes to a hard brilliance and touched her white cheeks with vermilion.
Vivid, active, her beautiful face, passion-drawn and cruel, red curls
writhing and twisting upon her shoulders, Tess seemed a veritable fury
crying for vengeance. She lifted clenched hands.
"I'll hurt Waldstricker," she vowed. "God help me to do it!"
Springing to his feet, Young ejaculated:
"Don't, Tess! You mustn't!"
Turning away, she paced up and down the room, muttering imprecations.
Her companion stood silent, unable to assuage her agony or rebuke her
vindictive words.
At length Tess stopped directly in front of him.
"I know you don't like me to feel that way about Waldstricker, but I
can't help it. I hate him so!"
Then she went to the window and stared out into the storm again.
After a moment's hesitation, Young touched her. Drawing her back, he
held her in his arms, attempting to soothe and quiet her by murmured
endearments.
"I'm awfully sorry, dear," he explained. "I must go to town. Helen's
sent for me."
Tess nodded indifferently. It was all one to her now. She'd lost Boy,
and she was willing to be alone to plan how she could punish his
murderer.
"I'll send Andy to you," said Young, leading her to a chair.
He went in search of the dwarf and found the little man in his room
huddled on the bed.
"Andy," said Deforrest, "come here."
Without a word the dwarf went to the lawyer.
"I'm going to Ithaca. Go down and stay with Tess until I get back."
He turned and went out, and Andy, silent and sick at heart, followed him
down the stairs.
* * * * *
Andy was not able to persuade Tess to talk with him, but obeying
Professor Young, he stayed very near her. The blizzard howled and banged
outside, adding by its noisy commotion an element of dread to the grief
within.
About nine in the evening footsteps sounded on the porch; the dwarf got
up and went to the door. Jake Brewer entered and closed the door against
the storm. The squatter took off his hat and shook the snow from the top
of it. He looked, alternately, from the girl in the chair near the
window to the little man staring up at him.
"I come to speak to the brat," he said.
"She ain't very well," answered Andy.
Tessibel looked around.
"Sit down, Jake," she invited. "The night's dreadful, isn't it?"
Brewer coughed and remained silent.
"Can I do anything, Jake?" inquired the dwarf, softly.
"Nope, it air only Tess can do it," replied the squatter.
Tessibel heard but remained in the same position.
"Tess air the only one can help," repeated Brewer.
The girl sank back in her chair, allowing her hands to drop in her lap.
"What is it?" she asked listlessly.
"Ma Brewer air sick," said the squatter. "She air knowin' ye air in
trouble, but--but--"
It seemed to the girl as if this Christmas-tide had brought sorrow to
everyone.
She rose to her feet, stiff from sitting in the same position for so
long a time.
"I'll get her something, Jake," she said quickly.
"Ma an' me know ye got a lot of sorrow, brat," choked the man, "but Ma
were a wonderin' if ye'd run to the shack fer a minute." Noticing the
girl's hesitation, "She's awful sick an' mebbe if ye'd come, she'd feel
better.'"
"I'll get your wraps, brat," Andy offered.
Both men helped Tessibel into her things. She stood very quiet until
Andy held out her mittens.
"I'll only be gone a few minutes," she promised the dwarf. "Come on,
Jake!"
And together they went out into the storm.