"By the way, do you mind telling me how you-all got into this scrape?"
The German flushed and tossed back his head. Then he controlled himself, and said, gently,—
"But perhaps you have a r-right to know. If you will excuse me for a time, however, I will r-return after a breakfast. I left my house very early this morning."
Weaver noticed the sudden pinched look of faintness that turned von Rittenheim's ruddy face ashy.
"He's missed more than one meal," he thought, but said aloud only, "Any time before two o'clock."
It was not much that the commissioner learned from von Rittenheim after all, for food brought back self-reliance and courage, and he felt that the whole story of his trouble would be an appeal for sympathy that he could not make. However, he told enough to cause Weaver to say under his breath a few condemnatory things about the deputy-marshal, and then he asked,—
"What are you going to do?"
"I hope to find some occupation in Asheville until the time of my tr-rial."
"What do you want to do?"
"I care not. I am well, str-rong. I fear not labor."