"That's past, anyhow! Now, then, I'm going to tell you something. I need a man to go to San Francisco to our office there, and as Madelene wants a change, I'm going to send you." Frederick shuddered. Had he dared, he would have rebelled at this wholesale delivering him over, tied hand and foot, to his tempestuous young wife. If he were sent away, what would become of Tessibel? His heart turned sick with apprehension. He had had no time to explain his plans to her. "You have no objections to going, I suppose?" Ebenezer broke in on his harassing thoughts. "No! If Madelene's satisfied, I am," replied Frederick, flipping the ash from his cigarette. "Then be ready to get away by, let me see, early in March," his brother-in-law announced. Early in March, and this was but December! He had that much grace then. He could do something for Tess if the family relaxed its vigilance upon him a little. "And there's something else," proceeded Waldstricker. "It's--it's this!" Then he deliberately made a statement that brought a red fire into Frederick's eyes. He staggered to his feet. "You wouldn't, you couldn't do that, Ebenezer," he groaned. "Oh, ho!... That gets you on the raw, does it, young man?" sneered the elder, one lip-corner rising to an unusual height. "So you do care that much, eh?... A while ago you made the statement she was nothing to you." "I want to be human," Frederick managed to get out. "Human, eh? No, that's not it! What you want is a few other women on your staff besides your wife. But you won't as long as you're married to my sister, and I'm running things. I'll see that none of the members of my family disobey my law or God's law either." The big man got to his feet, slipped his hands into his pocket, and stared at his white-faced, young brother-in-law. "How does my little scheme suit you?" he demanded grimly. "I think it perfectly devilish, by God, I do," cried Frederick. "Oh, you do, eh? So you swear with your other faults?... Does my sister approve of that?" "I've never asked her," snapped Frederick, "and if you're through with me, I'd like to go." "Have a little talk with Madelene before you go to bed--and, oh, Fred--" he called after the young man hurrying up the stairs. Frederick paused, his hand on the banister. "By the way, I shall want your assistance in the little matter I spoke of." CHAPTER XXV THE SUMMONS Jake Brewer paused in the lane opposite Skinner's home. The shanty was almost snowed in. A thin curl of smoke trailed up from the chimney and drifted among the leafless branches of the willow trees. Brewer dropped a pair of dead rabbits to the deep snow at his side, and shifted the gun he held in his right hand to his left. Then, he fumbled in his overcoat pockets. Discovering what he wanted, he picked up the rabbits and walked through the path to the hut. Tess took down the bar at his rap. "Lot o' snow, Tessie," smiled Brewer. "Here, I brought ye some letters."