Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: "I CAST THE FIRST STONE," HE SAID SWIFTLY] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- THE SECRET OF THE STORM COUNTRY BY GRACE MILLER WHITE AUTHOR OF TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY, ROSE O' PARADISE, ETC. ILLUSTRATED BY LUCIUS W. HITCHCOCK NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS Made in the United States of America ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright, 1916, by Woman's World. Copyright, 1917, by Woman's World. Copyright, 1917, by The H. K. Fly Company. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I Lovingly Dedicate this Book to Lil And Arthur Miller ----------------------------------------------------------------------- CONTENTS Chapter Page I. The Squatter Folk 9 II. The Coming of Andy Bishop 16 III. Tessibel Meets Waldstricker 25 IV. Tess and Frederick 33 V. A Gossip With "Satisfied" 38 VI. Waldstricker Makes a Proposal 44 VII. Waldstricker and Mother Moll 53 VIII. Tessibel's Marriage 58 IX. The Musicale 64 X. A Victim of Circumstances 72 XI. Frederick Intimidated 80 XII. Making Ready for the Warden 86 XIII. Sandy Proposes to Tess 94 XIV. The Warden's Coming 99 XV. The Search 105 XVI. Tessibel's Secret 112 XVII. Tessibel's Prayer 124 XVIII. A Letter 131 XIX. Its Answer 137 XX. Madelene Complains to Ebenezer 144 XXI. The End of the Honeymoon 149 XXII. The Repudiation 152 XXIII. The Quarrel 159 XXIV. Waldstricker Interferes 164 XXV. The Summons 168 XXVI. The Churching 171 XXVII. Daddy Skinner's Death 182 XXVIII. Young Discovers Andy 189 XXIX. The Vigil 195 XXX. Sandy Comes to Grief 202 XXXI. Waldstricker's Threat 207 XXXII. Helen's Message 211 XXXIII. Hands Stronger Than Waldstricker's 215 XXXIV. Love Air Everywhere the Hull Time 222 XXXV. Boy Skinner 227 XXXVI. Deforrest Decides 232 XXXVII. The New Home 238 XXXVIII. Dinner at Waldstricker's 244 XXXIX. Father and Son 250 XL. Husband and Wife 256 XLI.