The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-11

music. This handsome boy loved her.
Baffeted as she had been. she could
separate the false from the true. Come
never SO deep sorrow, there would
always be this--he loved her. Her
bosom swelled, her heart throbbed and
she breathed in ecstacy the sweet chill
air that rushed through the broken
street.
After the vinetage," she said, Civ
ing his arm a pressure. For this
handsome fellow was to be her hus-
band when the vines were pruned
and freshened 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---I call her that,
for haven't any grandmother---is old
and seldom leaves the house. / prom
ised that after work Tonight Id bring
my man home and let her see how
handsome he liz. She Is always saying
that We need a man about: and yet.
l can do a mans work as well as the
next one. / love you. too. Leo!" She
pulled hts hand TO her lips and quick
ly kissed 1t, frightened but unabashed.
Gretchen, Gretchen!"
She stopped. What Ia it?" keenly.
There was pain in your voice"
The thought OF how / love you
hurts me. There is nothing else. moth
ing. neither riches nor crowns. moth
ing but you. Gretchen. How long ago
WAS 1t ! met you first?'
Two weeks"
Two weeks? Is II not years? Have
/ not always known and loved you ?"
And I! What AN empty heart and
head were mine till that wonderful
day. You were tired and dusty and
footsore: you had walkedfsome twenty
odd miles, yet you helped me with
the geese. There We're almost tears
In your eyes, rh'i iss knew that your
heart was mans when you smiled
AT me sne stopped again and turn
ed him FOUND to her. And you love
me nht thfs?"
Whatever betide, Lieberherz. what
Ever befall." And ne embraced her
with fierce tenderness. and so strong
was he in the moment that Gretchen
gave a cry He kissed her, not on the
lips. but on the fine white forehead
reverently.
They proceeded. Gretchen subdued
and the vintner silent, until they came
to the end OF their journey at number
forty in the Krumerweg. 1t was a
house of hanging gables. almost as
old as the town itself, solid and grim
and taciturn. There are some houses
which talk like goasips, noisy. obtru-
siye and provocative. Number forty
was like an old warrior. gone to his
chair by the fireslde. who listens to
the small talk of HIS neighbors satur-
ninety What was 1t all about? Had
he not seen battles and storms, revo-
lutions and bioodshede The prattle of
children were preferable.
Gretchen's grandmother, Frau
Schwartz, owned the house; 1t was all
that barricaded her from poverty's
wolves, and, what with sundry taxes
and repairs and tenants who paid In
frequently. IT was little enough. What
ever luxuries entered at number forty
were procured by Gretchen herself.
At present the two stories were &C.
cupied: the second by a matter and
his brood of children, the third by a
woman who was partially bedridden,
The lower or ground floor of four
rooms she reserved for herself. AS a
matter of fact, the forward room,
with its huge middle-age fireplace and
the great square of beamed and pias-
tered walls and stone flooring, was
stable for all domestic purposes.
Gretchen's pallet stood In a small al
WV uhh tAG Cth Dtd ny NHS
left of the fire.
Gretchen opened the door. which
was unlocked. There was no light in
the hall. She pressed her lover in
her arms, kissed him lightly and push
ed him into the living rooms. A log
smoldered dimly on the irons. Gretch-
end ran forward. turned over the log,
lighted two candles. then kissed the
old woman seated in the one COM
Portable chair. The others were sim
ply three-legged stools. There was
little else In the room, save a poor
reproduction Of the Virgin Mary.
Here / am. grandmother"
And who is here with youf" sharp
ly but not unkindly.
My MANI cried Gretchen. gaiiy,
her eyes bright as the candle flames.
Bring him near me.
Gretchen gathered up two stools
and placed them on either side of her
grandmother and motioned to the
vintner to sit down. He did so. easily
and without visible embarrassment,
even though the black eyes plunged
u glance into his.
Her hair was white and thin, her
nose aauiline. her lips fallen in, a
cobweb OF wrinkles round her eyes,
down her cheeks, under her chin. But
her sight was undimmed.
ITO be Continued.)