"Come along home and red up the house, and let's have no more fooling," he said, roughly, and strode on faster and would not say another word, although Madelon besought him hard to assure her that he believed her, and that Burr should not be hanged, until they reached the Hautville house.

Then he turned on her and said, with keen sarcasm that stung more than a whip-lash, "'Tis Parson Fair's daughter and not mine that should come down the road in broad daylight a-bawling for Burr Gordon." Madelon started back, and her face stiffened and whitened.

She shut her mouth hard and followed her father into the house.

The great living-room was empty; indeed, not one of the Hautville sons was in the house; even Louis was gone.

David took his axe out of the corner and set out for the woods to cut some cedar fire-logs.