“Thank you, thank you, kind Fräulein,” cried Trudchen, following Lucy to the door, gratitude throbbing in her voice. “Are you not afraid to go alone through the forest? Will you wait and let—Franz——”
“Oh, no, I’m not a bit afraid,” declared Lucy, disdaining the proffered escort. “I’ll be back in a few hours, remember.”
She closed the cottage door softly after her and ran across the clearing. As she entered the forest, light steps sounded on the snow and Michelle came running through the trees to meet her.
“Michelle! What’s the matter?” Lucy demanded.
“Nothing is the matter, except with you, mon amie,” said Michelle, panting. “I heard you stealing out and saw you walking across the hospital clearing with Franz’ wife. I followed you.”
“What on earth for?” asked Lucy, but at the same time she caught her friend’s arm in hers gratefully, for the night forest was lonely in its cold shadowy depths.
“To help you if I could. Why did you go to Franz’ cottage?”
“To see Adelheid. She’s sick, poor little thing. And oh, Michelle, someone came to see Franz——”
She paused, turning back to the cottage clearing. The shed-door had swung closed again and now a tall, quick-moving figure came out into the moonlight and walked toward the far side of the clearing.
“Herr Johann!” Michelle said in amazement.