s
while some sounded as if approaching the garden. A vague fear seized
Gertrude. Three fellows shouting and calling, passed on the other side of
the hedge; she recognized one of the voices.

"Jost," she cried feebly, "Jost, what is it? where is Dietrich?"

There was no answer; Jost did not or would not, hear. He ran faster than
before, and the second fellow ran too. The last one paused a little; it
was Blasi. He said hastily:

"He isn't coming yet awhile. You can go to bed;" and was making off.

"Oh do tell me what has happened," said Gertrude, white with terror.
"Don't leave me so, but tell me, Blasi, why Dietrich hasn't come home with
the rest of you?"

Blasi had too much respect for Dietrich's mother to run away from her when
she put a direct question to him, although he would fain have escaped. He
came close to the hedge, and replied,

"There has been a row at the Rehbock. Two men were killed. Some one stole
the cattle dealer's money bag--"

"Is Dietrich killed? Speak out!" broke in Gertrude, trembling.

"No; he struck about him bravely, till one of the fellows got enough of
it, and lay dead on the ground; and then he made off."

With this Blasi ran on.

Gertrude mounted wearily to her room as if her last day was come. She sat
down upon her bed, and when the morning light filled the room, still she
sat there listening in trembling anxiety, as she had listened through all
the long night; in vain. Dietrich had not come home in the night; he did
not come in the morning.




CHAPTER VIII.

EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS KIND.


In all Tannenegg and Fohrensee, nothing was talked of but the affair of
the night before. Never was such excitement known. In every house, at
every corner, in all the roads, groups of people stood talking it over;
each telling what he knew.

Everyone asked questions, and no one listened to the answers. Such a fight
at the Rehbock! It began over the card-table. The cattle-dealer from
Fohrensee was on his way home with his bag full of money, whe