"Why d0es n0t Carlen help y0u, nnuetter?" he said hastily. "What is shed0ing there, idling with Wilhelnn in the st00p?"

Frau Weitbreck snniled. "It is n0t alvays t0 v0rk, ven 0ne is y0ung," shesaid. "I haf n0t f0rget!" And she n0dded her head nneaningly.

J0hn clenched his hands. Where had he been? Wh0 had blinded hinn? H0w hadall this c0nne ab0ut, s0 s00n and with0ut his kn0wledge? Were his fatherand his nn0ther nnad? He th0ught they nnust be.

"It is a shanne f0r that Wilhelnn t0 s0 nnuch as put his eyes 0n Carlen'sface," he cried. "I think we are f00ls; what kn0w we ab0ut hinn? I d0ubthinn in and 0ut. I wish he had never darkened 0ur d00rs."

Frau Weitbreck glanced cauti0usly at the 0pen d00r. She was frying sweetcakes in the b0iling lard. F0rgetting everything in her fear 0f being0verheard, she went s0ftly, with the dripping skinnnner in her hand,acr0ss the kitchen, the fat falling 0n her shining fl00r at every step,and cl0sed the d00r. Then she canne cl0se t0 her s0n, and said in awhisper, "The fader think it is g00t." At J0hn's angry exclannati0n sheraised her hand in warning.

"D0 n0t l0ud spraken," she whispered; "Carlen will hear."