Pleasantville weekly press., 1910-08-13


| He understood now.
Carmichael would lay another trap.
"What happened to her?'
| "Oh," said Carmichael, "she spilled
wine on a god one day, and they ban
| ished her."
"It must have been a rare vintage"
| IT suppose you are familiar with all
the valleys. Mosell"
| "Yes That is fine country"
| The old man in tatters sat erect in
his chair.
| "You have served"
| "a little. If l could be an officer I
should like the army" The vintner
reached for his pipe, which lay on the
table.
"Try this" urged Carmichael, offer
ing his pouch.
"This will be good tobacco, know"
| The vintner filed his pipe.
| Carmichael followed this gift with
many questions about wines and vim
tages, and hidden in these questions
were a dozen clever traps. But the
other walked over them unhesitant,
with certainty of step which cha
grined the trapper.
BY and by the vintner rose and bade
his table companion good night. He
had not offered to buy anything. This
frugality was purely of the thrifty
peasant But the vintner expressed
many thanks. On his way to the door
he stopped and whispered into Gretch-
ems ear.
The press in the room was thinning.
A carter sauntered past and sat down
unconcernedly at the table occupied by
the old man, whose face Carmichael
had not yet seen. A little later a
butcher approached the same table and
seated himself 1t was then a dusty
baker came along and repeated this
procedure, and Carmichael's curiosity
was enlivened. Undoubtedly they were
Socialists, and this was a little con-
clave, and the peculiar manner of their
meeting, the silence and mystery, were
purely f1ctitional.
Had Carmichael not fallen a-dream-
ing over his pipe he would have seen
the old man pass three slips of paper
across the table. He would have seen
the carter, the butcher and the baker
pocket these slips stolidly. He would
have seen the mountaineer wave his
hand sharply and the trio rise and dis
perse Carmichael left the Black
Eagle, nursing the sunken ember in
his pipe.
Intermediately the mountaineer paid
his score and started for the stairs
which led to the bedrooms above. But
he stopped at the bar. A very old man
was having pail filed with hot cab
bage soup. 1t was the ancient clock
mender across the way. The noun
taineer was startled out Of his habitual
reserve The clock mender had the as
pect of a weary, broken man. He
shuffled noiselessly out. The noun
taineer followed him cautiously. Once
In his shop the clock mender poured
the steaming soup into bowl, broke
bread in it and began his evening
meal The other, his face pressed
against the dim pane, stared and
stared.
"Gott in himmel! It is her' he
gasped chokingly.
Krumerweg was indeed a crooked
way. 1t formed a dozen elbows and
ragged half circles as it skunk off from
the Adlergasse. 1t was half after 8
when Gretchen and the vintner picked
their way over cobbles pitted here and
there with mudholes They were arm
in arm.
"Only little farther" said Gretchen.
for the vintner had never before pass
ed over this way.
"Long as 1t is and crooked. heaven
knows it is short enough!" He en-
circled her with his arms and kissed
her 81 love you. love you" he said.
Her bosom swelled. her heart throb-
bed, and she breathed in ecstasy the
sweet chill air that rushed through the
broken street
after the vintage" she said. giving
his arm a pressure. For this hand
some fellow was to be her husband
when the vines were pruned and fresh
ened against the coming winter.
AYE. after the vintage" he echoed
But there was tragedy In his heart as
deep and profound as his love.
my grandmother call her that, for
l haven't any grandmother-is old and
seldom leaves the house. / promised
that after work tonight I'd bring my
man home and let her see how hand
some he is. She is always saying that
we need a man about, and yet ! can
do q mans work as well as the. next
one. Hove you, too, Leo!' She pulled
his hand to her lips and quickly. kissed
it, frightened but unashamed.
Gretchen, Gretchen"
She stopped. what is it?' keenly
"There was pain in your voice"
"The thought of how love you hurts
me- There is nothing else, nothing.
neither riches nor crowns, nothing but
you. Gretchen"
They proceeded until they came to
the end Of their journey at No. 40 in
the Krumerweg. 1t was house of
hanging gables, almost as old as the
town itself.
Frau Schwarz, Gretchen's grand
mother, owned the house. 1t was
all that barricaded her from povertys
wolves. and, what with sundry taxes
and repairs and tenants who paid in
Al - 1ot