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

door and knocked The SUI
shone hot upon the door an
IL the doorstep and upon Evelyl
herself.
The stone was warm under her fee
and the air was full of strange, gen
tie. Spring sound which some peopl'
cannot hear at all, .he sound or ri
tie green things upon The @Frth b.
ginning to stretch themselves ant
grow.
Evelyn looked up at little natcf
of heavenly blue right overhead. Their
she knocked again. THIS time .hert
were footsteps. The door opened ant
Anna stood there. cooking at her WITH
that grave. considering look of hers
which told nothing.
EVELYN nut out her hand with
friendly smile.
"I'ye come back. May come I'M
sCertainlv," Annals tone was
neither friendly nor unfriendly. :.
She shut the door, set chair, tooh
one herself and picked up her KIM.
ting. a sock that was almost nnisneo
The room was warm; the sun snone
in through a tightly closed window
and made a bright patch on the fioor
between Evelyn and Anna. :.
It touched Annals shoulder as II
nassed and showed how shabby the
stuff of her afternoon dress mao
grown. It had been a rather bright
blue once. and 20 years carrier wnen
Anna had first inherited II from ns'
aunt and godmother, Anna Stron
Ynacher, born Muller, she hao oeen
very proud OF it.
AS Anna knitted, her arm moved
in and out Of the slanting sunbeam
Just at the elbow there was hardly
any blue left in the stuff at all. ano
there was q neat square darn
II was not Annals custom to begin
q conversation. She knitted in com
posed silence until Evelyn leaned for
ward and said:
Mai. Manning came to see you the
other day. didn't he?"
Anna nodded.
"Yt was on Tuesday. remember
because OF the baking. bake on
Tuesdays and Fridays. just as my
mother did. Every one 10 his own
liking is what ] say: but as far'as !
am concerned, my mothers ways are
good enough for me-"
Evelyn found herself obliged to start
"You saw Mat. Manning. and ne
told you that the identity disk couie
not be found"
yes. he told me-and I am sorry
But what would you haveE Sne
shrugged her broad shoulders
Ten wears is a long time, and Q
little thing like that may very well
be lost when you think OF all the
things that have been lost IN ~
Her tone was dry and unconcerned.
But Evelyn had a quick vision OF iost
crowns, lost causes.
Truly In the 10 years between lsIa
and 1925 too many things had been
lost In Germany to make the loss Of
one small disk a matter of importance
She had 10 make an effort to recover
her sense that IL was important.
"I think Mai. Manning told you that
he had had a report from the man
who went down to make inquiries Tor
Mr.. Laydon's family"
Anna shrugged again. -.
ZACH. Inc uirses-after 10 years..
Its a long time: but the people
who found the clothes seem TO re
member everything very clearly.
expe,ci they would have told the story
a good many times in the 10 years
and that would fix IL In their mem
cries"
Perhaps" said Anna politely.
- saw Dir. Muller myself yesterday
Frau Blum"
Yes" said Anna, Il also saw him
mot yeSserday--no, II was on Wed
nesday that he came, the day AFTER
] had seen the Herr Major.
Evelyn admired her composure; II
she did know anything. II was ex
rraordinary.
MY dear girl. you won't get thing
M. ~ her" Manning had said. I've
tried. and MuIler's tried. IL she doef
know anything. she means 10 Keep D
70 herself. But go along and nave
shot il you want TO. You can't OK
any harm"
She bill her lip and began again
knna's end Of the conversation seemed
always 10 be falling 10 ths grouno
When one tried 10 pick IL up, thsf'
%as nothing 10 take hold OF, ana on
had 20 begin all over again.
Mr.. Mueller said he thought m
two young men were speaking m
truth. They declared most positively
that they were much too frightened
To touch anything or 70 90 near TN
clothes.
They were only little boys al TN
time and when they cav the clothes
they were dreadfuily frightened am
thought a saVaRe EnglishHan wouh
spring out Of them and kili the'n
They said they ran ss fast as fhsi
legs would carry them. and nesei
stopped until they got home.
Anna shifted the sock she was Emit
ting.
BOYS sre very uniruthfui." she Oh
served If one Of them had tsksi
ihe dirk ~ Ayok ~ IL, and IL ha
dropped into THE water, that Is VIVA
they would s8y SIihoDt douDt ~
would be frightened. and hs wout
run away; snd afterward, II any 90
questioned him, he would say tina
he had never seen any disk.
"Isoys afe like that, they have u
conscience. 1 have had i've brothers
besides nepilews aud cousins, and
know what ] am saying
This sas d long speech for Ann
10 make IL contained, however. =
much common Seize mat EVsiy
found II difficult ~ answer. IL wa
wLil. sias Was wondering what sfi
would rs y uekt that Anna i1okeo
heg searcbingly and asked:
why o. you 10 Hnch WISH ina
the disk should be fpubdf
EYeIyn met the tooEs ana Was
litile DlIzzied by II
Il think Mai Manning told you WI
we ate anxious " md the disk. Didn
Ile tell your"
Anna nodded
'ssotne, hing he told me. There wei
two cousins, ana Anton. ~ seems,
oge ~ them. I5ut he does not kHo
which VI the two hs IL. AND the itsi
50f, who was the friend VI botI
does not know, nor The oid gram
father 20 whom ths estate belong
nor you gnsdige Frau VINO sfs ~
nlfs Lf uAp If LLSn. 'lksL." 81