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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
the wagon she revived and by the time they reached the station house；
seemed calm。 Another great crowd was pressing in； she heard cries of
‘‘There's the girl that killed him！'' She drew herself up haughtily； looked
round with defiance； with indignation。
Her father and Otto rushed forward as soon as she entered the doors。
She broke down again。 ‘‘Take me home！ Take me home！'' she sobbed。
‘‘I've not done anything。'' The men forgot that they had promised each
the other to be calm； and cursed and cried alternately。 The matron came；
spoke to her gently。
‘‘You'll have to go now； child；'' she said。
Hilda kissed her father； then she and Otto clasped each the other
closely。 ‘‘It'll turn out all right； dear；'' he said。 ‘‘We're having a streak
of bad luck。 But our good luck'll be all the better when it comes。''
Strength and hope seemed to pass from him into her。 She walked
away firmly and the last glimpse they had of her sad sweet young face was
a glimpse of a brave little smile trying to break through its gray gloom。
But alone in her cell； seated upon the board that was her bed； her disgrace
and loneliness and danger took possession of her。 She was a child of the
people； brought up to courage and self…reliance。 She could be brave and
calm before false accusers； before staring crowds。 But here； with a dim
gas…jet revealing the horror of grated bars and iron ceiling； walls and floor…
…
She sat there； hour after hour； sleepless； tearless； her brain burning； the
cries of drunken prisoners in adjoining cells sounding in her ears like the
shrieks of the damned。 Seconds seemed moments； moments hours。
‘‘I'm dreaming；'' she said aloud at last。 She started up and hurled herself
against the bars； beating them with her hands。 ‘‘I must wake or I'll die。
Oh； the disgrace！ Oh！ the shame！''
And she flung herself into a corner of the bench； to dread the time
when the darkness and the loneliness would cease to hide her。
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
CHAPTER XII
EXIT MR。 FEUERSTEIN
The matron brought her up into the front room of the station house at
eight in the morning。 Casey looked at her haggard face with an
expression of satisfaction。 ‘‘Her nerve's going；'' he said to the sergeant。
‘‘I guess she'll break down and confess to…day。''
They drove her to court in a Black Maria； packed among thieves；
drunkards and disorderly characters。 Upon her right side pressed a slant…
faced youth with a huge nose and wafer…thin； flapping ears； who had
snatched a purse in Houston Street。 On her left； lolling against her； was
an old woman in dirty calico； with a faded black bonnet ludicrously awry
upon scant white haira drunkard released from the Island three days
before and certain to be back there by noon。
‘‘So you killed him；'' the old woman said to her with a leer of
sympathy and admiration。
At this the other prisoners regarded her with curiosity and deference。
Hilda made no answer； seemed not to have heard。 Her eyes were closed
and her face was rigid and gray as stone。
‘‘She needn't be afraid at all；'' declared a young woman in black satin；
addressing the company at large。 ‘‘No jury'd ever convict as good…
looking a girl as her。''
‘‘Good business！'' continued the old woman。 ‘‘I'd 'a' killed mine if I
could 'a' got at himforty years ago。'' She nodded vigorously and
cackled。 Her cackle rose into a laugh； the laugh into a maudlin howl； the
howl changing into a kind of song
‘‘My love； my love； my love and Iwe had
to part； to part！ And it broke； it broke； it broke my heart
it broke my heart！''
‘‘Cork up in there！'' shouted the policeman from the seat beside the
driver。
The old woman became abruptly silent。 Hilda moaned and quivered。
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THE FORTUNE HUNTER
Her lips moved。 She was murmuring； ‘‘I can't stand it much longerI
can't。 I'll wake soon and see Aunt Greta's picture looking down at me
from the wall and hear mother in the kitchen''
‘‘Step lively now！'' They were at the Essex Market police court； they
were filing into the waiting…pen。 A lawyer； engaged by her father； came
there； and Hilda was sent with him into a little consultation room。 He
argued with her in vain。 ‘‘I'll speak for myself；'' she said。 ‘‘If I had a
lawyer they'd think I was guilty。''
After an hour the petty offenders had been heard and judged。 A
court officer came to the door and called： ‘‘Hilda Brauner！''
Hilda rose。 She seemed unconcerned； so calm was she。 Her nerves
had reached the point at which nerves refuse to writhe； or even to record
sensations of pain。 As she came into the dingy； stuffy little courtroom
she didn't note the throng which filled it to the last crowded inch of
standing…room； did not note the scores of sympathetic faces of her anxious；
loyal friends and neighbors； did not even see her father and Otto standing
inside the railing； faith and courage in their eyes as they saw her
advancing。
The magistrate studied her over the tops of his glasses； and his look
became more and more gentle and kindly。 ‘‘Come up here on the
platform in front of me；'' he said。
Hilda took her stand with only the high desk between him and her。
The magistrate's tone and his kind； honest； old face reassured her。 And
just then she felt a pressure at her elbow and heard in Otto's voice：
‘‘We're all here。 Don't be afraid。''
‘‘Have you counsela lawyer？'' asked the magistrate。
‘‘No；'' replied Hilda。 ‘‘I haven't done anything wrong。 I don't need
a lawyer。''
The magistrate's eyes