"Well, then, hear me! I'll try, God helping me, to get her out, but nothing that belongs to you shall harm her. And if your black tongue ever touches her or hers, I'll kill you, so help me God!"
Then Pierre found himself panting and blubbering on the floor with Tom rising above him.
"Father Mantelle shall know of this," groaned Gavot. "He'll put the curse of the Church on you."
"I'll fling him beside you, if he dares speak of this thing."
Actual horror now spread over Pierre's face. If natural ties and the fear of the Church were defied, where did authority rest?
"See here," poor Tom, having conquered his father, was now conquering himself, "see here. So long as you keep your tongue where it belongs, I will see that you do not want, but I'm going to be near enough to know and keep you to the line. I couldn't breathe in this hole, it's too full of—of dead things, but I'll be near, remember that."
And Pierre accepted the terms. He grovelled in spirit before this son of his, and his lips were free of guile while he ate and drank and slept and hated. And the others, too, left Jo and Donelle alone. There seemed nothing else to do, so the little flurry fell into calm as the winter settled.
CHAPTER XII
THE HIDDEN CURRENT TURNS
The winter passed and spring came. Point of Pines awoke late but very lovely. Mam'selle and Donelle had at last burned the old clothes of the long-dead Morey. That phase, at least, was done with and much else had been laid on the pyre with them.