He did not speak again until Tess groaned, and opened her eyes. She made a half struggle to sit up, and Young lifted her to her feet.
"Lean on me," he said gently.
Tess stared at him, incredulously. He had come after all! Relief crumpled her up in his arms.
"Daddy air dead," she whispered.
"Yes, dear," soothed Young. "There, lean your head on my shoulder, poor little broken baby."
His tones were so tender, so soft! They went to the heart of the stricken dwarf, and like a hurt child he burst into tears. Professor Young turned and looked at him.
"Don't do that," he said huskily. "Sit down—don't cry!"
Without moving from her position, Tess said, "Andy, Andy, dear, git on up in the garret a few minutes, will ye?"
The dwarf crept to the ladder, and Deforrest let him go. A dozen questions leapt to the lawyer's lips at the same time, but the girl against his breast looked so desperately ill he had no heart to ply them. Tess lifted her lids heavily.
"Ye won't tell nobody he air here?" she gulped.