Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-11-07
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re, 80 - - By w Heimbura

10 retire, DIS uOLuluS LuOlS SOuI0 NC
done. It so happened, that I was the
the last to leave the room, and Frau
Degenhardt was bending over the
drawer. eff only had an ideal" she
said; and then seeing me, added: "A
thief, a professional thief, would sure
ly taken it all But Mary, cannot
tell; the locks are uninjured; the
drawer is never left open. always"
she stopped suddenly and looked at
me with a start. Heavens, such
thought is madness!" she whispered.
"Ah, Mary, there is so much wicked
ness in this world! Is it not so,
Mary?"
could not tell hat she meant, but
looked a. her inquiringly. Johanna
and Rickie have always been so hon
est! l have had them for years,
Mary"
81 cannot believe either one of them
is thief" replied.
mo, child, no! What do you think?"
She looked more unnerved than l had
ever seen her.
'eNothing!" l said firmly. Nothing,
Frau Degenhardt, have no suS-
picion."
Mary, why didn't Jascha come here
with you all, just now?"
"Jascha?" My heart seemed to sud
denly stand still as the girls recent
strange conduct flashed over
my memory; but it surely was i'm
possible.
please, Frau Degenhardt, dear
Frau Degenhardt!"
"Ah, child! child! l am an old Wo-
man; l know human nature!"
mo! no! Not that! Not that!" l
cried, weeping.
BE calm, Mary; it may not be SO;
| it cannot be So" she replied.
Don't allow yourself to think of it.;
it will be explained"
With this dreadful suspicion reused
within me, l turned and left the
room. Jascha was not where left
her; she lay on the floor clutching her
hair, and sobbing.
"Jascha!" said |, what is the mat
ter?" and kneeling beside her, l put
my arm around her. "Jascha, you are
in trouble; tell me what worries
your"
ooh, leave me! Leave met" she
cried, and sprang up, pushing back her
| floating hair. 1T is so horrible, SO
dreadful for mel"
I / know not why, but like flash my
| doubts were ended.
"Jascha." said 1 firmly, "why did
| you not tell me you needed money?
would have gotten it from my grand
father for you"
She stared at me, with such a look
of agony in her eyes that she brighten
ed me. Then she tottered, and would
have fallen to the floor, had / not
caught her and carried her to the bed,
Where she lay in my arms for long
time with nothing save her means to
break the awful silence. The first
streak of dawn stole through the win
! dow, our candle flickered and went
out, and still We remained quiet in
| the coIorless, gray dawn of rainy
! day.
"Jascha," said l at last, weeping,
and kissing her brow, "Jascha, will
you not lie down a little?"
She clasped her arms about me and
whispered: Don't leave me! Stay
stay with mel"
81 will stay, Jascha; but lie down
and take off your dress!"
"Ah, that dress! That dreadful
dress!" and throwing herself wildly
on her bed, she tried to smother the
violent outburst of grief in the pill
low.
why, Jascha?" asked.
ooh, heavens, what have 1 done!
=, she cried.
"Jascha, control yourself, confide in
Frau Degenhardt; tell her the truth" >
i q cannot! I cannot-Impossible!
well, if you will not, l will, Jas
/ cha, for the story must be related tc
the police"
She slipped from the bed, and lay
with clasped hands on the floor, look
ing after me despairingly, as I hasten
} ed out to our principal. The old lady
was still awake; sitting by the win
dow in her wrapper. She showed nc
Il surprise at my coming, and looked III
! inquiringly at me.
Frau Degenhardt," said I, my voice
choked with tears; help her; she is
so unhappy"
Indeed sol" she murmured, rising
You stay here, my child; I will go tt
her"
I remain, behind, in the chamber
of this anxious, loving woman, who
through all the sorrows Of her diff
cult vocation, had never borne &
heavier one than this.
Why should Jascha have done this
thing? What drove her to such low
cunning? 1t was incomprehensible.
An hour passed. I awoke to the fact
that I was still in my pink tulle ball
dress. Day began to grow brighter;
i the sparrows chirped in the garden
the maids began to pump the water
from the well in the yard. drew back
the curtain, and opened the window
heavy red clouds shrouded the east
and made the sunlight dim. l was glad
of it. Oh, if it was only evening! What
would this day bring?
And then Frau Degenhardt entering
went to the window and called: 30