“Perhaps you should extinguish your lantern, Gimpel. Then we’ll have the element of surprise,” Shoshanah suggested

The cloaked figure turned and began running down the street.

It must be some anti-Semitic plot against my father! Shoshanah thought. Those gentile woodchoppers are always trying to frame him for one thing or another! I must put a stop to this harassment. I have to confront that man so that he knows I know what he looks like. Whatever he planted at our doorway, he’ll have to take responsibility for it!

Shoshanah slipped on her boots and winter coat and flew down the stairs and out into the wintry night. She could see the figure ahead, running in the direction of the forest. Summoning all the courage she could, she began to give chase.

“Stop! Stop!”

Shoshanah’s voice rang out through the night, shattering the sleepy silence.

She heard hoofbeats behind her and turned, startled to see an older man galloping in a wagon toward her.

“What are you screaming about, girl? What’s the problem? I’m on the community watch tonight, keeping an eye out for trouble. Tell me, what’s wrong?”

Shoshanah peered closer at the concerned face starting down at her and recognized the man in the carriage.

“Gimpel?”

“How do you know my name, young lady?”

“It’s me, Shoshanah. I’m the daughter of—”

“Ah, I know who you are. Chaim the righteous woodchopper’s daughter. Tell me, what are you doing, running around in the freezing darkness, screaming like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“I was looking out of my window and I saw a man wrapped in a black cloak. He put something at my front door and then saw me. Then he took off running!”

“What did he leave at your door?”

“I haven’t checked yet, because I’m trying to chase him down. My father’s been harassed terribly lately by the local gentile woodchoppers. They’re always concocting plans to frame him for crimes.”

“You ran out all by yourself, risking your life?”

“I love my father. I’ll do anything to help him against his enemies.”