"Waldstricker came down—" Tess paused, but trembled on. "I was talking to—"
"Who?" ejaculated Young, fiercely. "Who?"
Shocked by her unexpected answer, he dropped into his chair and covered his face with his hands.
"Don't feel that way," she whispered. "Listen, I'll tell you about it.... Boy ran to the rocks with Pete, and I went after him. I found him there with—with—"
"Oh, Tess," groaned Young.
"His father's been away a long time," the girl went on, "and now he's back, and he wanted to see the baby, and then I sent Boy home and Waldstricker came—"
"My God! won't you ever tell me who was there with you?"
Boy's mother bowed her head, and through the red hair came two trembling words, just one whispered name that seared the man's heart like flames.
"Frederick Graves."