"Yes," observed Atlantis in the deliberate way in which she usually announces her discoveries, "no doubt that is the reason why Eva recognized Fritz before Thekla did, although they were both facing the door, and must have seen him at the same time. She remembered him before he received the tonsure."
We all smiled a little at Atlantis' discovery, whereupon she looked up with a bewildered expression, and said, "Do you think, then, she did not recognize him? I did not think of that. Probably, then, she took him for a thief, like Lottchen!"
Fritz was deep in conversation with our mother, and was not heeding us, but Elsè laughed softly as she patted Atlantis' hand, and said,—
"Conrad Winkelried must have expressed himself very plainly, sister, before you understood him."
"He did, sister Elsè," replied Atlantis gravely. "But what has that to do with Eva?"
When I went up to our room, Eva's and mine, I found her kneeling by her bed. In a few minutes she rose, and clasping me in her arms, she said,—
"God is very good, Thekla. I have believed that so long, but never half enough until to-night."
I saw that she had been weeping, but the old calm had come back to her face, only with a little more sunshine on it.
Then, as if she feared to be forgetting others in her own happiness, she took my hand and said—
"Dear Thekla, God is leading us all through all the dark days to the morning. We must never distrust Him any more!"