Nellie felt like taking to
the tree again, but she bravely stood her ground until she could satisfy
her curiosity as to its nature.
Watching it closely she observed shadowy figures flitting around the
light in a curious and grotesque way. She was in greater doubt than
ever, when she heard voices.
"I think I saw her tracks, but I couldn't be sure; Nellie knows too much
to walk or fall into the deep water."
"I hope so, but my heart misgives me sorely. God be merciful, for if she
is lost I can never recover!"
The first speaker was Nick Ribsam, and the second was the father, the
mother immediately adding:
"Why the poor child came here is more than I can understand, but He
doeth all things well."
_"Oh, mother! Oh, father! Oh, Nick! It is I, Nellie! I am so glad to see
you!"_
And the little wanderer flew like the wind along the bank of the creek.
The mother was the first to recognize the voice, and rushing forward she
caught her child in her arms, murmuring in her own language:
"Mein Kind! Mein Kind! Gott sei Dank!" (My child! My child! God be
thanked!)
"Mein lieber Nellie! Komm an mein Herz! Kannst du es sein?" (My dear
Nellie! Come to my heart! Can it be you?) exclaimed the overjoyed
father.
"O meine abtruennige Schwester! Wie du uns erschreckt hast! Wie es mich
freut dich zu finden!" (Oh, my truant sister! What a scare you have
given us! How glad I am to find you!) shouted Nick.
And the child that was lost and was found was hugged first by mother,
then by father, and then by Nick, and then all strove to get hold of her
at the same time, till the brother ceased, through fear that she would
be torn apart.
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