She flung out her arm, and old Herman saw the gleam of something gold on her wrist. He caught her hand in his iron grip and shoved up her sleeve. There was a tiny gold wrist-watch there, on a flexible chain. His amazement and rage gave her a moment to think, although she was terrified.
“Where did you get that?”
“The mill gave them to the stenographers for Christmas.”
“Why did you not tell me?”
“We're not talking much these days, are we?”
He let her go then, and that night, in the little room behind Gustav Shroeder's saloon, he put the question to Rudolph. Because he was excited and frightened he made slow work of his inquiry, and Rudolph had a moment to think.
“Sure,” he replied. “All the girls in the executive offices got them.”
But when the meeting was over, Rudolph did not go back to his boarding-house. He walked the streets and thought.
He had saved Anna from her father. But he was of no mind to save her from himself. She would have to account to him for that watch.
Anna herself lay awake until late. She saw already the difficulties before her. Herman was suspicious. He might inquire. There were other girls from the mill offices on the hill. And he might speak to Rudolph.