inches. But
this condition lasted only a few minutes, then she roused herself and
hurried out, ere her father could detain her. She entered a narrow
path which ran behind the houses and was usually deserted, and raced as
fast as her feet would carry her to the hut occupied by Frau Molnar,
which was close at hand. Springing across the narrow ditch which
bordered the back of the yard, she hurried through the kitchen-garden
behind the house and in an instant was in the only room it contained
except the kitchen. On the bed lay a human form from which came a
groan, and beside it sat old Frau Molnar, who wrung her hands without
turning her eyes from her suffering son. Thank God, he was not dead,
the first glance at the piteous scene showed that. Panna involuntarily
clasped her hands and uttered a deep sigh of relief. Frau Molnar now
first noticed Panna's entrance; at first she seemed unable to believe
her eyes, and gazed fixedly at the girl, with her mouth wide open, then
starting up she rushed at her and began to belabour her with both
fists, while heaping, in a voice choked by fury, the most horrible
invectives upon her head. Panna feebly warded off the blows with
outstretched arms, hung her head, and stammered softly:

"Frau Molnar, Frau Molnar, spare the sick man, it will hurt him if you
make such a noise. Have pity on me and tell me what the injury is."

"You insolent wench, you God-forsaken,"--a fresh torrent of vile
invectives followed--"do you still venture to cross my threshold?
Begone, or I'll serve you as you did my poor Pista."

The mother again gained the ascendancy over the vengeful woman.

She turned from Panna, and hastened to her son, on whom she flung
herself, wailing aloud and weeping. The girl took advantage of the
diversion to leave the room slowly, unnoticed. She had seen enough;
Pista was alive; but he must be badly injured, for his whole head was
wrapped in bandages, and he had evidently neither seen nor heard
anything of the last scene which, moreover, had lasted only a brief
time.

Panna did not go far. A wooden bench stood by the wall of the house
under the little window of the kitchen, which looked out into the yard.
Here she sat down and remained motionless until it grew dark. She had
seen by the bandages that the doctor must have been there, and hoped
that he would return in the evening. If this hope was not fulfilled,
she could go to him without danger after nightfall, for sh