Part 20 (1/2)

”Your mother!” he gasped, and the carnations he had just picked fell unheeded to the ground. Wiseli darted through the gate and picked them up. ”When my mother was sick and didn't eat anything any more, she drank that nice fruit juice you put in the kitchen, and it made her feel better. She told me to thank you for bringing it, and for all that you did for her. She said you were very kind.”

Wiseli was surprised to see the tears in the good man's eyes. He tried to say something, but he could not. He took Wiseli's hand in both of his, patted it gently, and returned to the house without another word.

Wiseli was amazed. n.o.body else had shed any tears for her mother, and she had not allowed herself to do so when anybody could see her; yet here was a man so moved that he could not speak of her. How she loved him for it! She started homeward for fear of being later than the boys, and it was well she did so, for they had just turned in at the gate when she got there.

Wiseli felt so much better when she went to bed that night that she wondered how she could have been so discouraged the evening before.

She resolved to keep herself cheerful in the future, if it were possible. The good, kind face of Joiner Andreas was the last thing she thought of before going to sleep.

The following day (it was Wednesday) Otto had a repet.i.tion of his strange experience. It had not occurred to him that the good fairy would again appear, and, as usual, he was not able to keep from rus.h.i.+ng out with the others and frolicking until the children left the playground. When he returned to do his work, the room was again in the best of order.

He began to be really curious as to whom he had to thank for this favor. He decided to play the spy the next night and solve the mystery. Accordingly, after the school had been dismissed the following afternoon, Otto waited a moment at his seat, wondering how he could get to a hiding place unseen, when the boys began to shout, ”Come on, Otto, come on; we want to play robber and you must lead.”

”I have to clean up this week, so I won't play to-night,” he said.

”What difference will fifteen minutes make? Come on.”

He gave up his scheme of playing spy and went with the boys. Instead of the game's lasting fifteen minutes, it was half an hour before it was over, and Otto felt anxious as to whether he must still do his work. He ran panting to the schoolroom and gave the door such a vigorous kick that the teacher came in to see what had happened.

”What do you want, Otto?” he asked.

”Just to see if I did everything,” stammered Otto.

”Very well done,” commented the teacher, as he looked about. ”Your zeal is praiseworthy, Otto, but you needn't be so boisterous when you come to the door again.”

Otto went out more curious than ever. He determined to find out the next night without fail, for, with the exception of Sat.u.r.day morning, it would be his last opportunity.

”Otto,” called the teacher as soon as he had dismissed school the next day, ”I wish you would take this note to the pastor's for me and wait for an answer; you can be back in five or ten minutes to do your cleaning.”

Otto was not in the least pleased to do the teacher's errand, but he dared not refuse, so he started off at a run, hoping to be back in time to capture the good fairy, if she appeared to do his work. When he got to the parsonage, he was admitted at once, and told that the pastor would see him directly. Then the minister's wife called him to the garden to chat a moment, and it seemed an age to him before he could free himself courteously, for she asked not only about himself and his health, but that of his mother, father, Uncle Max, Miezi, and apparently all the relatives in Germany.

Finally the opportunity came to present the note to the pastor, and it was but a moment later when he was speeding back to the schoolhouse with the written answer in his hand. He fairly stumbled into the schoolroom in his eagerness to see if any one was there, but, as before, the room was in the best of order and not a soul to be seen.

”Not once this week have I had to do that disagreeable task,” he thought. ”Since there is some one who is doing such work without needing to, I am at least going to find out who it is.”

The school closed at eleven o'clock on Sat.u.r.day. Otto let all the children pa.s.s out; when they had gone, he went outside, locked the door, and stood with his back against it waiting to see who would come back to do the work. He stood there waiting until half past eleven, and still no one came.

Otto remembered that the family at home were to have lunch promptly at twelve, for an afternoon's outing had been planned and he had promised to get home as early as possible. It became evident that he was going to have to do the work himself, and he dared wait no longer. Greatly disappointed, he unlocked the door and entered the room, but--Otto could scarcely believe his eyes--the work was finished as usual.

How very strange it seemed! For a moment a superst.i.tious fear possessed him, and he tiptoed to the door and went out, taking pains to lock it securely behind him.

Just at that moment Wiseli came quietly out of the teacher's kitchen door; she listened intently for a moment, but hearing no one, started on her way home, which led her by the schoolhouse door. The next moment she and Otto were face to face. Each was startled at the other's presence, and Wiseli blushed deeply, as if she had been caught doing something very wrong. This partly betrayed her to Otto, who said: ”Surely, Wiseli, _you_ have not been doing all that work for me this week? How _could_ any one who didn't have to?”

”It has given me a great deal of pleasure,” said Wiseli.

”Oh, no, don't say that!” exclaimed Otto. ”To do such work _couldn't_ give anybody any pleasure.”

”But it did, really, Otto. I was always glad when night came and I could do it again. I was all the time thinking how glad and surprised you would be to find the task finished.”