The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-06-06
CHAPTER XII.


in me for appearing in that woman'i
presence as Steinhardt's representative
After her outburst OF surprise she
looked at the letter again, and at me-
l rose, uncertain.
"Fraulein, ~ said, 81 do not know
what to say. ! did not seek to come
this journey myself; Herr Steinhardt
asked me to undertake it,. He thought
and | thought, too, that your adver'
tisement, in which, of course, you could
not use many words, signified that you
were very i'll, and alone perhaps, and
that you needed a-"(I did not quite
know how to put it; l added hurriedly)
ga friendly hand"
"He did not think that I could wish
to see him for his own sake,-I mean
for the sake OF his own peace?"
Her German was becoming too rapid
for me to follow without an effort;
was not sure | understood her.
"He has business" l said, (which
prevented him from coming himself. "
81 suppose" said she, with some
touch of bitterness, thought, Che is
still always very busy making more and
more money in your rich England"
sit is now," l answered, "a lawsuit
that keeps him in England"
"a lawsuit? A trial?" she ex'
claimed, with strange anxiety. "ls
he in danger?"
"Indeed, Fraulein, do not know
The other party to the trial thinks him
self in danger from HerrSteinhardt; he
accuses Herr Steinhardt of using, anc
making much money by using, his
patent for chemical dyes"
"I think" said she, simply, "yor
are not Emmanuel's friend"
To this | had nothing to say for a
moment. | took refuge in an evasion
"Herr Steinhardt." | said, "has
sent me to act as his representative
But it appears there is nothing for m'
to do" U was standing uncertain
but ready to,go.) "What shall | say
to him when return. ~
II wonder" said she, more thar
half to herself, "if you are the person
have seen lately?"
/ was startled; I stared in blank be
wilderment. Was the woman a mani
ac? The pupils of her keen eye
seemed to rapidly dilate and contract
while she gazed into vacancy, and a
the same time kept referring glance
on me.
"a man." she continued, "who goe
about and about, and evidently cause
Emmanuel great anxiety about some
thing"
Conceive the sudden turmoil o
thought and feeling, OF imagination
and hope into which / was thu
thrown! The Lacriox mystery wa
until then almost absent from m!
mind; seemed to have left it in Eng
land, and though l certainly thought o
it sometimes, it was as of something
waiting in the distance for my return
Now here was l presented with an allu
sion of it-a vague and uncertain allu
sion, perhaps, but still unmistakabl,
for me an allusion--here in an attic o
an old house in Basel What strang,
coincidence was this? Who was thi
woman that brought it before me again
l was afraid to speak or to stir, lest
should break or dispel that filmy some
thing her fancy or her vision had go
touch Of.
"You are a pastor" she continued
looking at me with more natural eyes
Emmanuel calls you Reverend Mr.
Unwin.' It is surely, sir, a pastor''
duty to bring repentance and forgive
ness and peace to the hearts of men
and not pride, and fear, and condemna
tionl"
"You say very strange things, Frau
lein," l answered; 81 think-I hope
understand what you mean. Perhaps
deserve your rebuke. But are you sur,
you altogether know the terrible
mystery"
"Ach" she cried. "There is thei
a mystery-and part of the burden of i
is with mel Achl mein Gottl meir
Gott!"
eff you know"-I impulsively be
gan, in Unsurpassed excitement.
81 do not know anything" she crieC
suddenly interrupting me, and spring
ing to her feet. She paced nervously
up and down the room, her fnger
wildly playing with each other, o.
about her arms and her head. Sht
stopped and looked at me, trembling
in every limb and nerve. "You mus
60 away, sir!"
lingerd uncertainty.
"Please go away, sir!" she urged.
cannot bear more now. Come again
tomorrow. 1t may be that my God ha
sent you to mel"
| withdrew without a word, some
what awed by the emotion of tht
strange woman. As | closed the door
caught a glimpse of her with hand,
clasped and face raised, as if in en-
treaty or thankfulness.
After leaving the house walked fol
long time, without knowing whittier
l went, about the streets of Basel anC
along the Rhine bank.
In spite OF my excitement | slept
well that night. spent the next day
until evening wandering about the
town, examining the windows of its
sleepy shops, wondering at the content.
ed, bi-lingual shopkeepers, and gazing
at the glorious Swiss mountains which
l was so near, yet which l must moi
think of visiting.
was again at the old house with the
watchful, but heavy eyes soon after
five O'Clock. Poor Fraulein Haa,
seemed to have passed both sleeples.
night and weary day. She was evi
IDENTIFY i'll at ease and anxious, and
pitiej her.
81 fear, Fraulein," said, eth,
thought of me and my presence gives
you pain. What you may have to say
TO me do not know, am not able t
guess, but it seems saving it will Civ,
you great pain"
eve must not care il we give our
selves pain to do right, must We, Her
Pastor?" said she with a smile of sing,
ular sweetness.
mo" answered; 'but l woulC
wish to tighten your pain, Fraulein, if
can"
81 thank you" she said; ait may
be that YOU can. But first | must SAY
this one thing:-Emmanuel Steinhard
Of Brisach was very much TO me many
years ago. He went away to England
but Won will understand, Herr Pastor