"
"Doll-face or not, Hans evidently loved her. She jilted him, and he did
not care then what happened. His one desire was to leave Dreiberg. And
this Gipsy brought the means and the opportunity."
"Not Jugendheit?"
"Who knows? Hans followed the band of Gipsies into the mountains. The
real horror of his act did not come home to him till then. Ah, the
remorse! But it was too late. They dressed the little one in rags. But
when I ran away from them I took her little shoes and cloak and locket."
Hermann was on his feet!
Grumbach relighted his cigar which had gone out. The smoke wavered about
his face and slowly ascended. His eyes were as bright and glowing as
coals. He waited. He had made the slip without premeditation; but what
was done was done. So he waited.
Hermann dropped his hands on the table and leaned forward.
"Is it you, Hans, and I did not know you?"
"It is I, brother."
"My God!" Hermann sank down weakly. The ceiling spun and the gaslight
separated itself into a hundred flames. "You said he was dead!"
"So I am, to the world, to you, and to all who knew me," quietly.
"Why have you returned?"
Hans shrugged. "I don't know. Perhaps I am a fool; perhaps I am willing
to pay the penalty of my crime. At least that was uppermost in my mind
till I learned that her highness had been found.
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