Deforrest Young was trying to calm his sister. Her frantic cries for her baby contrasted strangely with the icy despair of the other mother he'd tried to comfort. His heart, still sore from Boy's loss, bled in ready sympathy to his sister's mourning. He grasped Helen's hands which were tearing her hair. "Don't!" he said. "We'll find her soon. By morning she'll be back home again. Ebenezer has nearly every man around looking for her, ... searching every barn and asking at every house.... Darling, do you think you could stay here with Madelene and let me go out, too?" "Yes, yes, go, but Oh, God, I shall die if you don't find her!" Hour after hour men on horseback and men on foot hunted through the hills and gullies for little Elsie Waldstricker. It was almost twelve, when one by one Ebenezer's friends rode sorrowfully home after a useless search. CHAPTER LI THE CHRISTMAS GUEST When Tessibel carried Elsie into the living room, she looked furtively about to assure herself that Professor Young had not returned during her absence. Only Andy should know! He would help her--he, too, loved Boy with all his soul. The little girl still in her arms, she hurried up the stairs to her own room, and after removing the blanket, placed her in a chair. Elsie stared about, too frightened and tired even to whimper. The whip fell to the floor and Tess picked it up. For a long time, she held it in her hand, meditatively trying its strength and suppleness while she glared at the child. Then she slipped quietly into the hall, still carrying the riding crop at her side. "Andy," she called softly. "Is Mother Moll asleep?" Andy came out of his own room. "Yes, she's asleep. I been singin' to her most ever since you been gone. The old woman sure does like my singin', Tess." He waddled toward the girl and when he noticed the expression on her face, "Somethin's happened," he ejaculated, "Anything the matter with Ma Brewer?" Tessibel backed into her room and beckoned the dwarf onward by a movement of her head. After she'd shut the door, she pointed to the child with a hissing swish of the whip. "Waldstricker's," she announced briefly. "The squatters stole her and gave her to me."