ind woman. 'A true wife does not
leave her husband. If I were to do so, the other women would point the
finger of scorn at me and call me names; and quite right, too. If I
can do nothing else, I will at least take my good name with me down to
the grave, and God grant it may be soon.' So saying, she hastened into
the house, lest she should anger her husband by keeping him waiting.

Conrad took his way homeward with a heart overflowing with respect for
his mother. On his way he met Dollie, carefully carrying in her hand a
bundle wrapped in a cloth.

'Wherever are you off to so late as this, Dollie?' he asked in
astonishment. 'Are you not afraid to go along the dark streets with
all the shot and shell flying about?'

'Oh, I've got used to them a long time ago!' said the little one very
composedly. 'I always think it doesn't seem nice when the town is
quiet now.'

Conrad had to confess that she was right, for people certainly do
become accustomed to everything, even to the greatest danger.

'I am taking father some warm soup, because he is on duty to-night,'
Dollie went on; 'then he won't feel the dark night so cold.'

'But why does not your mother take it?' asked Conrad.

'Oh, she isn't at home,' answered Dollie. 'She had to go with a great
many more women to fetch water from the Muenzbach,[3] and carry it right
into the upper town. The Swedes have done something to the water-pipes
there, and there is no more water. Only think! if a fire were to
begin, and they couldn't put it out! And for fear the water should
freeze in the buckets, the women have to carry it in the little
brewers' coppers, and keep the fires burning under it too!'

'I will go with you,' said Conrad; and the little maiden, though
professing to be so brave, seemed by no means sorry to have a companion.

At last the two succeeded in reaching the neighbourhood of the Peter
Gate, where a detachment of miners were acting as auxiliaries to the
regular troops. Here, as at the other threatened points, soldiers,
citizens, and journeymen were all actively engaged. Such parts of the
fortifications as had been either injured or destroyed by the enemy's
artillery-fire and mines, were now being hastily repaired. The Peter
Gate and the barbican in front of it showed unmistakeable signs of the
enemy's efforts to force an entrance into the town,--heaps of stones,
and yawning holes and pits, alternated with covered galleries,
_chevaux-de-frise_, upr