Jennie Gerhardt

he adjoining room. There she stood by the front window and looked at it

recounting the fact to Gerhardt in the adjoining room sounded in her ears. "Yes, he is dead," she heard him

with Gerhardt over the Senator had caused her to be careful of any display of emotion. No conception of the real state of affa

"To think that he should have to die just when h

word of agreement, but Jenn

e helped. He meant to do a good deal, but you mustn't think o

mute. Mrs. Gerhardt, seeing how useless her words were, c

lplessness. She went into her bedroom and sat down upon the side of the bed, from which position she saw a very pale, distraught face staring at her from out of the small mirror. She lo

naturalness of her part was very difficult to sustain. Gerhardt observed her subdued condition without guessing the de

ways lived with her family. She began to feel unaccountable sinkings of spirit, nameless and formless fears seemed to surround and haunt her. Once when she arose in the morning she felt an uncontrollabl

r with you," she said quietly. "Jennie

ersistence of her mother, broke down at last and made the fatal confessio

eeping over her, "it is all my fault. I might have known.

ing and crying. The tears ran down her cheeks and dropped into the suds. Once in a w

Gerhardt do if he learned the truth? He had often said that if ever one of his daughters should act like

rdt often said to Jennie in this intermedi

er go away," sugg

t awhile." But in her heart of hearts she knew

the opportune moment and letting him retire to his slumber without speaking. When afternoon came she did not go out to work, because she could not leave with her painful duty unfulfilled. Gerhardt arose at four, and still she hesitated, knowing

said. "There seems to be som

r fears, and moved to make an end of it at any cost,

r-lock and was trying to mend it,

you mean?

oll it coming upon her. She tried to summon sufficient courage to explain, but

he result of age and work in the wind and rain. When he was surprised or angry sparks of light glittered in his eyes. He freque

ining to a hard note. "In trouble - has some one -" He paused

r own train of thought, "that anything like that would happen to her. She

so! Brander! Ha! Your fine man! That comes of letting her go running around

truck out in a fierce stride across the n

. "Ruined! Ha! So he h

rectly in front of Mrs. Gerhardt, who had retired to the table

as if this fact had now first

n would give way, and stood looking at her, the mocking ir

an, shrank still farther away, her wits taken up rather with the traged

pleaded nervously. "He would hav

e thing to talk about now. Would have! The hound! May his soul burn in hell - the dog! Ah, God, I hope - I ho

him to have any sympathy with her. He walked to and fro, his heavy step shaking the kitchen floo

is happen?"

, too terror-stricken to tell the trut

g her. It is your fault that she is where she is. If you had let me

streets and gets herself talked about; the neighbours come to me with open remarks about my childre

it is no use. I might work and work. My hands - look at them - are rough with work. All my life I have tried to be an honest man. Now - now -" His

ave happened. No, you wouldn't do that. She must go out! out!! out!!! She has become a street-walker, that's what she ha

tle bedroom, but he had no sooner

under my roof! To-night! At once! I will not let her enter my d

streets to-night," pleaded Mrs. G

want this one. Let her get out now. We will see how the world treats her." He

ing supper, Jennie returned. Her mother started when she heard the door open, fo

ou shall not stay another hour in my house.

children she had brought home with her crowded about in frightened

George asked, his m

my roof. If she wants to be a street-walker, let her be one, but s

to say, but the chi

Gerhardt. "Go i

out and followed s

other brought her. The little girlish trinkets that she had accumulated from time to time she did not take. She saw them, but tho

eing the nervous assembly in the ki

at him grimly, b

isted Bass. "What are you

away," whispered Mrs

ass, opening his ey

alker, that's what for. She goes and gets herself ruined by a man thirty years older than she is, a

eyes. All felt clearly that something terrible had ha

he inquired. "This is no time to send a girl out

said G

o do that," pu

d Gerhardt. "Let th

going to go?"

Mrs. Gerhardt in

Mrs. Gerhardt motioned him toward the fr

was the import

The children stayed awhile, but, one by one, even they slipped away, leav

ie had been hastily

her, but she should wait a little way up the street, and he would follow. When her father was away the mot

n was still going o

ng?" he ask

hardt, with her first an

rhardt frowned too mightily for him t

, but she had become a woman. The strength of love was with her, the support of patience and the ruling sweetness of sacrifice. Silently s