“You may be sure I will,” said Blasi, weighing the silver piece which Judith had given him affectionately in his hand.  “You see they were all together in the little back room at first; the red-haired man and Jost and Dietrich, and when I went in I noticed at once that something had happened that our two didn’t like; for Dietrich sat with his elbows on the table and his head in his hands, and Jost was swearing roundly.  Presently Jost said, ‘We will double our bets, Dietrich, and perhaps the luck will turn.’  Dietrich, only groaned.  Then the red-haired fellow said, ’Come, let’s go down and play cards with the cattle-dealer, and take a glass of something that will raise your spirits.’”

“Dietrich never used to gamble; nor to drink when he was not thirsty;” cried Judith angrily.

“Pooh!  When every one is playing cards, a fellow can’t hold off and say he won’t join, and as for the drink, Dietrich has washed down a good deal of vexation with it lately, and he took it powerfully too, I can tell you.  Well, the play began, and it went on fast.  I noticed that the red man looked mightily pleased, and urged them all on, and the louder the cattle-dealer scolded, the more the red man filled up his glass.  When the quarrel came to blows, I heard the red-head call out to the cattle-dealer, ‘Come over here, you’ll soon silence them,’ So he kept exciting him, and he struck out well with his great fists.  The red-head mixed in the crowd, and stuck close to the cattle-dealer, but he never struck a blow himself; of course not, such a gentleman as he is!  I did not see Dietrich knock the Fohrensee fellow down, but just when the storm was most furious, I saw Dietrich run out, and Jost after him, and I thought I saw Jost give Dietrich something.  I ran out after them, and I heard Jost advising Dietrich to make off as fast as he could, and send him word where he hid himself.  When I came up to them, Jost pushed me back; I couldn’t get a word with Dietrich, who ran right off, and Jost pulled me into the house.  There the noise was increasing every minute, for the cattle-dealer had discovered that his money-bag was gone, and red-head screamed out like a mad-man, that nobody must get away, and everybody must be searched.  When they found that Dietrich had gone, the cattle-man started off after him, and some others too, and then they all broke up.  Now you know all that I know.  Nothing else happened; except that I went for the doctor, who said the two men were not dead.  When Jost tells Dietrich that, why, there’s nothing to prevent his coming back.  That is, unless there’s something else.”

“What do you mean by ’something else’?” said Judith sharply.  “But there—­you’re all alike.  One repeats what another has said, till you all get to saying the same thing and then of course you believe it.  A nice set of friends you are—­the whole of you.  I mean to stir up the ground under you all until I find out where the truth is.  Then you can begin to stare with the others, you blind mole!” and Judith suddenly walked off as if the earth were burning beneath her angry feet.