Part 21 (2/2)

Miezi promised to say nothing. All traces of tears had been removed by the expectation of receiving the candy rooster, which Otto did not fail to give to her as soon as they reached home, and the children went happily to bed.

They had been in bed and asleep for some time when a loud rapping at the door startled the parents, who were sitting at the table in the living room, talking about their children. Trina had gone upstairs, but she leaned out of her window and called, ”What is it you want?”

”Something dreadful has happened,” came the answer from the man below.

”Joiner Andreas has been killed, and we want the colonel to come over at once.”

The messenger departed without waiting. Through the open window Colonel and Mrs. Ritter had heard what he said. The colonel threw his cloak over his shoulder and hurried to Andreas's home. A number of people had a.s.sembled there when he arrived. The police and the pastor had been summoned, and others, hearing of the misfortune, had come to see what could be done. Colonel Ritter worked his way into the crowd to where the joiner lay.

”Where is the doctor?” was his first question.

”What is the use of getting a doctor when the man is dead?” some one answered.

”He may not be dead,” said the colonel, impatiently. ”Some one must go for a doctor immediately; tell him I said that he must hurry. This call should be answered before all others.”

Some one reluctantly started, then, with the help of others, the colonel lifted the apparently lifeless body and carried it to the bed.

The miller's son explained to the colonel that he had pa.s.sed the house about half an hour earlier, that he had noticed a light and the open door and had decided to stop a moment to see the joiner, when, to his horror, he saw that he was dead; that Meadow Joggi was standing in the room, holding a gold piece in his hand; and that Joggi had laughed as he looked at the gold.

Meadow Joggi, so called because he lived in the meadow, was a man who had lost his reason, but whom people had always regarded as perfectly harmless. The neighborhood supported him, and he often helped them with simple work, which he managed to do fairly well. The miller's son had told him to stay where he was until some one came, and he had obeyed, still clutching his gold piece and smiling, not in the least concerned about himself.

The physician came at last and hastened to examine the body.

”He was struck on the back of his head; it is a bad wound,” said the doctor.

”Do you think that he is dead, doctor?” asked Colonel Ritter.

”No; he is not dead, but he is very near it. Bring me sponges, bandages, and some water.” The men searched the house in vain for the things that were needed.

”I wish there were a woman here to find things!” exclaimed the exasperated physician. ”A woman knows intuitively what a sick person needs and where to find it.”

”Trina can come,” said the colonel. ”Will some one please run over to my house and tell Mrs. Ritter to send her at once.”

”I am afraid your wife will not thank you, Colonel,” said the doctor, ”for whoever comes must stay at least three days, and perhaps longer.”

”You need not worry about that,” replied the colonel. ”Mrs. Ritter will gladly do more than give Trina's time if it will save the joiner.”

Trina appeared sooner than they had thought it possible for her to get there, and she brought with her a basket of necessary supplies which she and Mrs. Ritter had in readiness for an emergency.

The doctor was much pleased. ”Now, Colonel,” he said, ”please dismiss every one, and lock up the house for the night.”

The policemen decided to put Joggi in jail until they could investigate matters. He walked along with them willingly, opening his hand occasionally and laughing at his gold piece.

Early the following morning Mrs. Ritter went to the home of the joiner to inquire after him. Trina met her at the door and said that toward morning the patient had recovered partial consciousness. The doctor had just left, she said, and had expressed his opinion that the man was doing better than he had dared to hope. ”I have had to promise him,” she added, ”that I would let no one come into the room, not even my dear mistress.”

”I am sure he is right about it,” said Mrs. Ritter smiling. ”I am glad to know that Andreas is in safe hands, and I will hurry home, so that my husband may know that he is doing well.”

So eight days pa.s.sed. Mrs. Ritter never failed to come every morning to inquire. She supplied Trina with whatever she needed. No one had yet been allowed in the sick room, and Trina was kept at her post.

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