The
look on her face might well stay the reproaches on Marg's lips--she
almost reeled back as the deep, true eyes met hers. All the smothered
sisterliness came to the surface for an instant as she trembled and drew
near to the two in the old chintz-covered rocker.
"See! my baby, Marg. She is lil' Ann."
"Ann--what?" whispered Marg.
"Just lil' Ann for--Miss Lois Ann."
"Nella-Rose" (and now Marg fell on her knees beside her sister), "tell
me where he is. Tell me and as sure as God lives I'll bring him back!
I'll make him own you and--and the baby or he'll--he'll--"
And then Nella-Rose laughed the laugh that drove Lois Ann to
distraction.
"Send Marg away, Miss Lois Ann," Nella-Rose turned to her only friend,
"she makes me so--so tired and--I do not want any one but you."
Marg got upon her feet, all the tenderness and compassion gone.
"You are--" she began, but Lois Ann was between her and Nella-Rose.
"Go!" she commanded with terrible scorn. "Go! You are not fit to touch
them. Go! Dying or mad--the girl belongs to me and not to such as has
viper blood in their veins. Go!" And Marg went with the sound of
Nella-Rose's crooning to her child ringing in her ears.
Things happened dramatically after that in the deep woods. Marg kept the
secret of the Hollow cabin in her seething heart. She was frightened,
fearing her father or Jed might discover Nella-Rose.
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