"It's his," she said. "He spoke the truth, though it wa'n't as he mean it. But the baby's his, an' baby as he is, an' as he is, he's got to fight it out along o' me. You go now, an' don't you come a-nigh me ag'in. An' if you stay here knockin' at my door, I'll scream so's I sha'n't hear you."
She withdrew her head from the window, but instantly looked out again.
"God Almighty bless you!" she said. "But you go! you go!"
"Tira!" called Raven sharply, "don't you know you're in danger? Don't you know if anything happens to you it'll——" He paused, and Nan wondered if he meant to say, "It will break my heart!" and scarcely felt the pain of it, she was so tense with misery for them both.
Tira leaned out again and seemed to bend even protectingly toward them. She smiled at them, and the softening of her face was exquisite.
"I ain't in danger," she said. "I've said things to him. He's afraid."
"Threatened him?" Raven asked.
"I've kep' tellin' him," said Tira, in that same tone of tender reasonableness such as mothers use when they persuade children to the necessities of things, "he must remember we ain't alone. An' somehow it seems to scare him. He don't see Him as I do: the Lord Jesus Christ."
She shut the window quietly, and Raven and Nan went away. They walked soberly home without a word, but when Nan was taking off her hat she heard bells and went to the library window. Raven was standing by the table, trying to find some occupation to steady his anxious mind.
"Look!" said Nan.