Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-09-01
He promised me so faithfulIyl'

| He promised me so faithfully"
she said.
"Then he will surely Gomez said
Arnold reassuringly. IA man must
have heart of stone to break a
promise to you.'
"But must not wait longer for
him now," she said. "Father will be
angry if I am no. home by noon
| time.n
"Where do you llve?'
"a little farther in the valley" she
answered. aDon'tyou hear the bells!
They are just ringing for tie close
of mass"
Arnold listened. lie could hear
the SLOW strokes of a bell; the tones
were hard and discordant. A thick
mist was lying over that part of The
valley from which the sound came.
"Your bell is cracked he said,
with a laugh.
eyes l know" the girl replied,
indifferently. 1t docs sound badly,
and we ought to haveit reeast. But
what does it matter? 1t answers
the purpose, and we are used to
it."
"What.is the name of your vii
lager
| "Ger nelshausen."
"And can I get to Wichtelhausen
this way?"
"Yes 1t is only short walk
| "Then l will keep on with you
to your village, aud can get my
dinner at the tavern, if it is good
one"
ut is only too good" sighed the
girl, with backward glance to see
if Heinrich might be coming, after
all.
"Can tavern be too good?"
eyes, for the peasants" she an
swered, earnestly, as they walked
on slowly. THE mcn waste their
time there and neglect their work.
Thepeasants earn your bread f ryou.''
mo, indeed, 'cried Arnold. 1.-The
peasant makes it. certainly, but
we have to earn it ourselves, and
hard enough it is, too, sometimes.
for the peasant looks out that his
works well paid"
"But you do not work."
81 will show you how [ work :.
Sit down on Che that stone.'
HBut what shall I do there?'
SONY sit down, led Arnold ,hur-
riedly snatching sketch-book and
pencil. "I will be through in a
moment. want to take your pic
ture away as a remembrance"
sAre you painter?"
! eyes,
"Then you can paint over the
pictures in our church. They need
it badly"
"What is your name?" asked
Arnold, rapidly sketching the outlines
of The girls charming face.
"Gertrud."
"And who is your father?'
she is the schultz of the village,
and if you are painter you must
come and 60 home with me to din
ner. Then you can talk it all over
with my father
"About the paintings in the
church," asked Arnold, with a
smile.
eyes," she replied, earnestly,
"and you must stay with us a long
long time, until-until our day comes
again and the pictures are finished. T"
"Well.we'll see about that later,
Gertrud. But your Heinrich may
not like it to have me so much With
you"
"He;nrich? Oh, lie will not come
now"
"But he my come morrow
NO. said Geftrud, calmly, GAS
he was not there at tue appointed
hour he will stay away until our
day comes again.
"Your day? What d, mean by
that ~
She looked at him with large ear
nest eyes and did not reply, and her
| gaze grew far away and eorrowful.
Arnold forgot all else in his eager
ness to finish the sketch, for there
was something almost unearthly in
her beauty at this moment.
Finally shesprang up, saying that
she must go. Arnold quickly put
his things together and fastened to
join her. The village was nearer
than he supposed. A row of fruit
trees, which be had taken for an al
der thicket, hid it, but, these passed,
the old smoke-blackened houses and
| low church tower came into view.
The heavy mist which Arnold had
seen in the distance still hung over
the village, and the sun could only
cast feeble yellow light on the old
weather beaten roofs But Arnold
bestowed scarcely glance upon all
this for Gertrud had quitely taken
his hand, and together they entered
the main streets of the village.
With her eyes steadily fixed on
the ground, she led him on. They
met few people and all passed with
out word of greeting. This, IN q