The girl made an effort to master her confusion. Slowly she rose and took the professor's arm. The unfamiliar, embarrassing formality helped to hide her anger and consternation. She found herself positively unable to eat. When had she ever been capable of taking food when her heart filled her throat? She was conscious every moment of the presence of her husband and Madelene a little farther down the table, and that Frederick's attention was wholly taken up with his companion. She had but to raise her eyes to see Madelene's face beaming with pleasure. Suddenly the voice of a stranger roused Tessibel from her bitter meditation. "I heard, Mr. Waldstricker, you've located Andrew Bishop. It's true, I hope." If it hadn't been for the queer feeling in her legs, Tessibel would have stood up. Located Andy Bishop--where? Why in her shanty, of course,--up in the garret under the straw tick. If they had found him, it must have been there. When? Tonight, since she'd left home. She bent over and searched the table for Waldstricker. He was seated next to Helen Young, and his gaze was directed toward his questioner. "Well," he replied, "that's not quite right, but we hope--" he hesitated, swept his flashing eyes to Tessibel and smiled, "we hope to have him back in Auburn soon. I have two good detectives working for me." Taking a deep breath of relief, Tess subsided in her chair, and she was not sorry when the signal was given for the company to leave the table. CHAPTER X A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCES Frederick Graves had just left Tess at the shanty door. He had found it difficult to explain away his conduct on the evening of the musicale at Waldstricker's. "It were awful," sobbed Tess, after Frederick had mollified her anger somewhat. "I wanted to die! Ye looked like some big man I didn't know 't all." "Silly baby," laughed the student. "There were so many people there who know my mother--" He paused and kissed the upraised, tearful face passionately. "I didn't think you'd care. I supposed of course you'd understand. I'm awfully sorry you didn't. You'll forgive me, darling, won't you?" Tess snuggled nearer him. She wanted to forget how unhappy she'd been. "Sure, I don't care now,--such a awful lot," she sighed. Later in the evening, when he came into the hall of his home in Ithaca, he was greeted by his young sister, Babe. "Fred," she called softly, "come on up, mother wants you." For some minutes after taking off his hat, he remained in the lower hall considering just what to say to his mother. Shaking his head dismally, he mounted the stairs and went reluctantly to the front room. He hated scenes with his mother. He hated everything about the house, hated even the thought of going back to school. He wanted to take Tess away from the lake--make a home for her--to be with her always. How dear she had grown day by day since he'd married her! His very being fired at the memory of her clinging sweetness.