"They've placed a stay upon your father's execution," explained Young, "that will give us a chance to prove him innocent.... I am positive that he didn't kill the gamekeeper. I went to the prison last week." "Ye seed him?" asked Tess eagerly, striding close to him. He felt the hot breath against his face and a feeling of longing coursed through his veins. "Yes," was all he said. "What did he say about me?" "Everything good! You will have him very soon here with you, Tessibel." The girl was fatigued with turbulent emotions, lonely and heartsick. The shadow of the rope was gone from Daddy Skinner. Like a relieved child she sank down upon the floor and began to whimper. Both men were silenced by the swaying red head. The bacon sputtered in the frying pan upon the stove, spitting the grease to the lids, where it burned away in tiny yellow flames. Then Tess raised her head. "What a bloke I air to cry when Daddy air a-comin' home.... We air a-goin' to eat now," she ended, wiping her eyes. Before the meal was over Tess was on better terms with Young than she had ever been before. He outlined to the delighted girl his visit to the prison. "Your father says, child," he related, "that he took the gun from the stern of the boat, and laid it on the shore, near where he was hauling the net.... He heard a shot and ran forward and was arrested. He swore to me that he did not fire the gun and I believe him. The fatal step was in his taking the rifle at all, because that was disobeying the law." "Ye air my friend, too," Tess said beamingly, leaning over and taking the Professor's hand in hers. Before he could stop her, she had raised it to her lips, kissed it several times, and dropping it again, calmly went on eating. CHAPTER XXV At the "Cranium" Fraternity, Dan Jordan was closeted with three little freshmen. Swipes looked downcast. "I want to do something to help," he wailed; "I feel as if it were all my fault that the parson is gone. We can't have any fun without him. It's tedious, too, being cooped up here not being able to go anywhere for fear of being taken ourselves." Dan cleared his throat preparatory to speaking. "If you fellows won't peach," said he in an eager undertone, "I'll tell you something and you can help." "What?" "We'll have Graves if you will all do as I tell you." "Watch me," cried Swipes, turning a somersault. When he was in the most harrowing position, Brown gave him a swift kick. "Give him one for me, Shorts," whispered Spuddy, but Swipes was on his feet again, ready to listen. There was a general hurrah when Jordan in subdued tones had outlined the plan. "Where are Graves' evening clothes," demanded Dillon; "we must smuggle them into the opera-house some way." "They'll be there all right," replied Jordan; "they've gone in with the caterer's stuff. You'd better send your own best togs in a barrel or the sophomores will see to it that you won't have them when you want them.... Now mind, mum's the word."