"Either people do not want to disturb her, or they do not want to be disturbed by the crying infant," thought Von Barwig, mechanically taking in the situation. He was now acutely conscious of things going on around him.
"What is the matter with that baby?" he wondered. He stooped and looked at the infant. It was crying piteously, so he looked at the woman and was struck by the fact that she was taking no notice of her child. She seemed to be absolutely unconscious of the fact that it was crying.
"How strange!" thought Von Barwig.
She was a young, girlish woman with rather attractive features, but pale and wan. Von Barwig could not help noticing the look of abject despair on her face. The child cried on, but she seemed oblivious of the fact.
"Can she hear it?" he asked himself. "Is she the mother and yet allows the babe to suffer without trying to help it?" Von Barwig's interest was aroused and he determined to speak to her.
"I beg your pardon," he said gently to the girl. "Can I not do something for you?"
She turned to him and shook her head.
"Can I do something for the child? It—it suffers."
"Yes," responded the girl in a hoarse voice. "I suppose it does—it's hungry!"
Instinctively Von Barwig put his hand in his pocket, but the girl shook her head.