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Ben's cries had ceased, but the listening girl could hear the two bodies as they turned over and over beyond on the tracks--and rolled into the ditch Her feet were nearly frozen but she gathered them under her skirt and du but a deathly silence in the dim shadows near the land
Would she ever see either Ben or the dog again? There was no danger that Pete would-"Ben," she called loudly, leaning over the fence No answer came from the deep trench by the railroad bed
"Pete, Pete, come to Tessibel, co, his head hanging low, the angry sparkle in his eyes quenched
Tess raised the wire once irl shouted anxiously for Ben but no answer ca beside Pete, Tessibel reasoned out a way of escape: if she took the brindle bulldog to the hut with her, she would be safe fro about She propped the loire of the fence high with a stick so that Pete could reach Kennedy's barn on the hill again when she sent hi Pete slid silently to the railroad tracks, Tessibel holding tightly to the dog's collar Some fifty feet beyond he twisted his heavy neck, set forth his huge jaw, and refused todark object--it was undeniably, unquestionably quiet Tess tugged at the dog's collar and dragged hi fro with no pause save to pick up the cowhide boots from the side of the path, where Tess had cast them in the mad race She clasped the head of Pete as she opened the hut door
"Ye can coly head, "and go ho"
Tessibel locked the door, but did not light a candle Slipping her wet clothes to the floor, she crawled into Daddy's bed, and with the forgetfulness of youth sank into a sleep