"After another trial.... See if you can read this?"
From a long envelope the lawyer took a piece of paper. Tess examined it carefully for some moments. Young eyeing her with a sense of happiness. He would fight for this child as man never before fought for woman. She would love him out of gratitude if for nothing else. He took the paper she was holding out to him.
"Can't read a damn word—can't read writin' anyway. Tell me what it says about Daddy."
"It's a list of names," replied Young, "mostly members—"
"Of Graves' church?" put in Tess eagerly.
Hadn't the student been praying for just this? she thought.
"Yes; they are all desirous to see your father home again with his little daughter."
"Air the minister givin' money for Daddy?" was the anxious demand.
Young shook his head. He felt a sudden swift-coming desire to tell her enough about the minister's family to make her hate them all. Deforest Young realized for the first time that he was jealous of the student, of a tall dark lad of whom in the past he had taken no more notice than of many other students.