When she awoke, she found it was broad daylight, and the tread of many feet upon the pavement outside told that work had already begun.
"Eight o’clock!" exclaimed the girl. "What can keep Jack so long?"
Then the thought struck her that her brother had returned and retired without waking her, but a glance revealed the empty bed.
Deb’s face blanched a trifle as the idea crossed her mind that maybe something had happened, after all. Fires were such dreadful things, with falling chimneys and half-burned staircases, and Jack was so daring, and so ready to risk his life for the benefit of others.
"I’ll go down to Mrs. Snitzer’s and find out about it," was her conclusion, and locking the door she descended the stairs.
Mrs. Snitzer was a German woman, who, with her husband and three stalwart sons, occupied the floor below. She was a stout, kindly-faced woman of about fifty, had been Deb’s neighbor for a year, and took a genuine interest in the girl and her brother.
"Your brudder no got home yet from der fire?" she said, after Deb had stated the object of her morning call; "I thought der fire vas out long ago. Mine boys come home, and vent to ped again, aput five o’clock. Da don’t work now, so da say: ’Mudder, ve take a goot sleep for vonce in our lifes;’" she added, with a broad smile.
"Jack’s out of work, too," said Deb, soberly.
"Yah? Vat a shame! Nefer mind, it don’t last forefer. Come, have some coffee mit me. My man ist gone out for the baber. He come back soon."
The good woman set out one of her low chairs, and knowing that Mrs. Snitzer’s invitations were genuine, the girl sat down, and allowed herself to be helped to a bowl of the steaming beverage, accompanied by several slices of sugared zweibach.
Just as the two were finishing Mr. Snitzer came in, paper in hand.
"I vas sorry for you," he said, approaching her.
"Sorry for me?" repeated the girl, with a puzzled look. "Why, Mr. Snitzer?"
"Gracious! Didn’t you hear?" returned the man, dropping his paper in astonishment.
Mr. Snitzer spoke in German to his wife, who jumped to her feet.
"Nein! nein!" exclaimed the woman, vehemently. "He nefer done dot--nefer in his whole life!"
And then as gently as possible Mrs. Snitzer related how Jack had been accused by Mr. Felix Gray of setting fire to the mansion, and was now languishing in the town jail.