Walter Pieterse Part 21

"No. Is there more than one robber book? Just call over the names of them for me."

This was said with an air of importance that was not without its effect on the shopman. He pulled down the catalogue, and soon he came to "Glorioso."

"That's it, that's it!" cried Femke, delighted.

"But you must deposit a forfeit," the man said, as he mounted the ladder to get that precious book.

"No, no, I don't want the book at all. I only want to know where the boy lives who read it. I will pay you gladly," and she pointed to her money.

"That isn't necessary," he said. "I don't mind accommodating you when you ask me politely."

He looked in the register and found the name Femke had mentioned, with the address. He showed it to her, and was even going to explain to her the best way to get there; but Femke was already out the door. The fellow had difficulty in overtaking her to return the money she had forgotten on the counter.

When she reached the address given, Femke learned that the Pieterses had moved to a "sweller neighborhood." It was quite a distance away; but Femke was not deterred by that.

Once at the Pieterses', she was received by the young ladies with a rough, "What do you want?"

"Oh, Juffrouw, I wanted to ask about Walter."

"Who are you?"

"I am Femke, Juffrouw, and my mother is a wash-woman. I would like to know if Walter is all right."

"What have you got to do with Walter?" asked Juffrouw Pieterse, who had heard the commotion and came down.

"Ah, Juffrouw, don't be angry--I wanted to know; and my mother knows that I've come to ask. Walter told me about Telasco, and the girl that was to die--oh, Juffrouw, tell me if he's sick! I cannot sleep till I know."

"That's none of your business. Go, I tell you! I don't want strange people standing around the door."

"For mercy's sake, Juffrouw!" cried the girl, wringing her hands.

"The girl's crazy. Put her out, Trudie, and slam the door!"

Trudie began to execute the order. Myntje and Pietje got ready to help her; but the child clung to the bal.u.s.trade and held her ground.

"Throw her out! The impudent thing!"

"Oh, Juffrouw, I'm not impudent. I will go. Just tell me whether Walter is sick. Tell me, and I will go right now. Just tell me if he's sick--if, if he's going--to die."

The poor child began to weep. Anybody else but those Pieterse women would have been touched at the sight. They were too far up the ladder.

Plainer people, or n.o.bler people would have understood Femke. Feeling, sympathy, is like the money in a gambling-place. It doesn't come to everybody. There wenches and countesses sit side by side; merely respectable people, who sell shoes made in Paris, are not there.

"I won't go!" cried Femke. "Oh, G.o.d! I won't go! I will know whether that child is sick!"

A door was heard opening above; and Walter came in sight. He tumbled down the steps and fell unconscious at Femke's feet.

"That boy!" groaned the old lady, while the girls stood as if transfixed. Femke picked Walter up and carried him upstairs. His bed was pointed out to her, and she placed him in it. No one had the courage to run her away when she took a chair by the bedside. If at this moment the rights of the Pieterses and Femke had been voted upon, all the votes would have gone to Femke.

She wept, and stammered "Don't be angry, Juffrouw; but I couldn't sleep for thinking of him."

CHAPTER XVII

The evening of the birthday party came. All of the Pieterses went, leaving Walter to be taken care of by Leentje.

Juffrouw Laps was doing the honors.

"A strange state of affairs," said the birthday uncle. "And what did she want?"

"Oh, goodness, M'neer, I don't know myself. I've told Gertrude a hundred times that it's too much for me. Just imagine to yourself--such a thing issuing commands in my house! I told Mina to pitch her out. And Pietro said----"

"You ought to have seen me get hold of her," croaked that brave young woman, showing a blue place on her hand. From this it might have been inferred that Femke had had hold of Pietro.

"Just wait till she comes again," cried Gertrude, "and I will attend to her!"

"And what will I do for her?" said Mina significantly.

Every one of them was ready for the fray. That is often the case. If the vote had been taken now on moral worth, Femke would have been defeated.

"A common girl, M'neer!"

"Worse than common!"

"How did you get rid of her?"

"Ah, it wasn't easy. I said----"

"No, mother, I said----"

"No, it was I!"

"But it was I!"

Each one of them had said something. Everyone wanted to play the leading role in the interesting drama.

"I would like to know where the young Mr. van der Gracht is," said Juffrouw Laps. "Yes, uncle, it's a surprise----"

Juffrouw Pieterse did not like to be interrupted when she had something to tell.

"And so we said--what did we say, Gertrude?"

"Mother, I said it was a disgrace."

"Yes, I said so, too. Then that thing asked for cold water, and when we didn't get it quick enough for her, she ran and fetched it herself--just as if she were at home! She wet a cloth and put it on Walter's head. I was amazed at her insolence. When the child came to she gave him a kiss! Think of it--and all of us standing there!"