What he did was to walk down to the corner and buy a
a step across the street from the shop but farther on so that he was partly hidden by a railing.
Sitting down made him less tall, and holding a bag of candy and nibbling it certainly made him
less fashionable. Also it made him interesting to three children of the tenement; when he
shared his treasure, which they called
asked their names, where they went to school, what games they played, they made shy
answers. Meanwhile he kept his eyes on the door of Aronson's tailorshop.
Presently he ventured to ask his three proletarian friends if they knew Trudi Schultz. They
had never heard of her, and he wondered if he was on a wild-goose chase. Perhaps it would be
more sensible to go away and write a note; not giving his name, just a hint: "The friend who
sold your drawings in Paris." He would add: "Take a walk in front of the enormous white
marble Karl der Dicke (the Stout), in the Siegesallee at twenty-two o'clock Sunday." With one-
third of his mind he debated this program, with another he distributed
growing throng, and with the remaining third he watched the door of
VII
The door opened suddenly, and there stepped forth a young woman carrying a large paper
bundle. Lanny's heart gave a jump, and he handed the almost empty
friends, and started in the same direction as the woman. She was slender, not so tall as Lanny,
and dressed in a poor-looking, badly-faded brown coat, with a shawl over her head and
shoulders. He couldn't see her hair, and being somewhat behind her he couldn't see her face,
but he thought he knew her walk. He followed for a block or so, then crossed over and came up
behind her and to her side. Her face was paler and thinner than when he had last seen her; she
appeared an older woman; but there was no mistaking the finely chiseled, sensitive features,
which had so impressed him as revealing intelligence and character.
said.
She started violently, then glanced at him; one glance, and she turned her face to the front
and walked steadily on. "I am sorry,
"But Trudi!" he exclaimed. "I am Lanny Budd." "My name is not Trudi and I do not know
you, sir." If Lanny had had any doubt as to her face, he would have been sure of her voice. It
had rather deep tones, and gave an impression of intense feelings which the calm features
seemed trying to repress. Of course it was Trudi Schultz. But she didn't want to know him, or be
known.
It was the first time Lanny had met a Socialist since he set out to save the Robin family. He
had kept away from them on purpose; Rick had warned him what he might be doing to his
own reputation, and now here he saw it! He walked by this devoted comrade's side, and spoke
quickly—for she might come to her destination and slam a door in his face, or turn away and
forbid him to follow her. "Trudi, please hear what I have to say. I came to Germany to try to
save the Robins. First I got Johannes out of jail, and I took him and his wife with Rahel and
the baby, out to France. Now I have come back to try to find Freddi and get him free."
"You are mistaken, sir," repeated the young woman. "I am not the person you think."
"You must understand that I have had to deal with people in authority here, and I couldn't do
it unless I took an attitude acceptable to them. I have no right to speak of that, but I know I
can trust you, and you ought to trust me, because I may need your help—I am a long way from
succeeding with poor Freddi. I have tried my best to find some of his old friends, but I can't get
a contact anywhere. Surely you must realize that I wouldn't be dropping my own affairs and
coming here unless I was loyal to him and to his cause. I have to trust somebody, and I put you
on your honor not to mention what I am telling you. I have just learned that Freddi is in
Dachau—"
She stopped in her tracks and gasped: "In
"He has been there for several months."
"How do you know it?"
"I am not free to say. But I am fairly certain."
She started to walk again, but he thought she was unsteady on her feet. "It means so much to
me," she said, "because Ludi and Freddi were arrested together."
"I didn't know that Ludi had been arrested. What has happened to him?"
"I have heard nothing from him or concerning him since the Nazis came and dragged them
both away from our home."
"What was Freddi doing there?"
"He came because he had been taken ill, and had to have some place to lie down. I knew it
was dangerous for him, but I couldn't send him away."
"The Nazis were looking for Ludi?"
"We had gone into hiding and were doing illegal work. I happened to be away from home at
the time and a neighbor warned me. The Nazis tore everything in the place to pieces, as if they
