Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-29

Frau Blum
She sprang up
"Ach ia - sonderbar." murmuret
Anna.
Frau Blunt"
Anna raised her eyes, saw the bril-
liant flush. the quivering lips. She
spoke gently. as If she were address
ing n child:
"Sit down, and do not be angry.
meant no harm"
EVelynS flush died away.
IF you cannot tell me anything, It's
: no use for me to stay"
sit down." said Anna.
NO" Evelyn shook her head. But
I want to say one thing, l want you
TO understand that it is for Mr. Lay
don's sake that we want to find the
disk. Even if | knew who he was 8
hundred times over. it would not help
You see. people would say that
wanted to make out a case in order
to help him. We want to find the dish
because we want proof that will
stop everybody's mouth and put him
in his right place"
Anna went on knitting.
why does he not come himself?''
she asked. why does he send your"
He doesn't send me-"
Does he know you have Gomez"
| NO, uOn I tnlnk SO.
| "Ach, So"
There was a pause. The little tri.
angle formed by the stitches at the
toe of the sock had diminished until
Anna seemed to be continually turn
ing her work and putting in fresh
needle: the sock was almost done.
Then why have you Gomez" said
Anna at last.
Il have told you why" answered
| Evelyn.
''He is a man. 1t is his affair. Why
do you concern YOURSELF"
Evelyn laughed. a queer. involun.
tary laugh that left her rather shak'
| en-.
II think you know quite well why
l have come"
| Perhaps" said Anna. you wish to
be sure that you are widow. You
are young and beautiful and you wish,
no doubt, to marry again"
mo, you don't really think that"
said Evelyn gently. You know very
we'll that / love him."
| "Love?" said Anna. what sort of
| love is it that doesn't know man be-
cause his shoulders have grown broad
| and his face has changed. l would
| not call that love-"
Evelyn stood looking at her. She
was pale now. and her voice was not
| quite steady She was saying things
| to Anna that she had never said to
| any one. She was saying them to
Anna because Anna loved him, too.
Frau Blum, have I said that ! do
| not know him."
"You have not said it."
There were only tyo needles left In
the sock. Anna knitted the few re-
| naming stitches, drew the needles out.
and pulled her thread tight through
| the last loop. Then she got up.
Evelyn turned to the door.
"I1l go. What's the good Of our
talking like this?"
There is no hurry" said Anna.
"You say that you love him."
Evelyn looked at her without speak
| ing. She was proud. but there was no
pride in the look. Her eyes were dark
with unshed tears.
Does he love your" said Anna.
81 don't KNOW don't think So
he doesn't say"
He will love you. You are beauti-
full"
Evelyn flushed to the roots Of her
hair.
II don't want that sort OF love-"
"Ach, was-one takes what one can
get. 1t is the giving that counts. For
| the rest. men are as they are made"
Evelyn felt that she could bear no
| more. She put her hand on the door
and CROPPED for the latch. The tears
began to run down her cheeks. She
felt that she had been weighed and
found wanting, judged and condemned.
A cold unhappiness welled up in her.
A line once familiar came into her
mind and stayed there:
The unplumbed, salt, estranging
sea"
1t was such a sea. strange. obliv.
ious, that stretched between her and
Laydon.
Annals hand fell on her arm.
You are In a great hurry all at
once. VIII you not take the disk be.
fore you go?''
Evelyn's hands pressed against the
door. She stayed like that. quite still.
There was a silence.
Ma, will get it." said Anna.
! She let go Of Evelyn's arm. crossed
the room. and went up the stair. all
| In her usual slow. deliberate manner.
about in the room above. she made an
effort and turned. She still leaned
against the door: but she faced the
room now.
She could see the finished sock lying
on the edge of the table. the chair In
| which Anna had sat and knitted. her
own chair pushed hastily back. and
| the patch Of bright sunshine on the
clean floor.
She could hear Anna coming down
| the stair. and quite suddenly she
hind her and run as fast an flying
feet could carry her. down the path
| to where Monkey was waiting with
| the car.
She did not want 10 see the disk,
| or 10 touch IL, or TO read the name
on 1t.
Anna came in. and Evelyn straight.
| ened herself. She did not want TO look
1 at Anna: but she made herself look.
and saw her come forward with her
hand out--and on the palm of 1t
something wrapped up in a square OF
| yeiIowfsh paper.
| torn. She raised her eyes to Anna's
! face. and found 1t calmly expression.
I less.
You had II all the time:'
! Anna came up TO the table and
stood there.
And you are thinking that lied
| 10 you "Eut"-~the broad shoulders
/. lifted q iittIe--"fhat / did not do"
! She laid the little packet on the top
| Of the Bible. and Just touched II with
one Of her work.roughened fingers.
| no, d.d not lie. What ] told you
/! was true, 0niy-I did not tell you all. -
| WIN you tell me nowf"
yes, now ! will tell you. Perhs ps
you VIII understand me--perhaps not,
But / win tell you"
you said you put the disk on this
top Ut the ciothesF"
Anna nodded"
That IL true. All that told you IL
quite true. ! put the disk on the tor
vi the clothes, and ! did not look AT II
or read the name. thought ! had
fneddied enough. Then went home
and ia the night, when ! was sitting
there watching the Engiisbnan. be-
gan 10 think about Anton, the real
| A