The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-07-20

but of course she disguised her
tears and did not cry, as she sat
down on the edge of the bed as
naturally as IL she had been mar
ried to him for years and had just
come in to see how he was. Mar
tins heart beat hard enough to
burst his ribs.
"What do you mean?" He had
no breath for more.
"Well-just that. The young
baroness telegraphed for me that
they were going to amputate your
arm and SO l drove over without
losing a moment. Not bad-three
hundred and forty kilometers in
seven and q half hours-consider-
ing 1t was through the mountains
with scarcely ever stretch of
of straight road. was here before
you came round"
"God-you're a dear" Martin
m ,rmured, as he put his hands out
to her. He put out both hands to
her, safe and sound. One of them,
it was true, was bandaged to the
fingers and the movement made a
pain shoot through his whole body.
But the hand was there. 1t lived.
1t was there. 1t belonged to his
arm, and the arm was joined to his
body and belonged to him. Martin
stared at this numbed and band
aged limb that hurt him so. and
then he stared at May, who was
laughing. Cautiously he played a
scale with his finger-tips on the
coverlet. 1t was all there, and 1t
responded properly. A terrible
dread fell away from him like a
dry and ghastly husk.
so you came-you came at once?
And If l had been cripple would
you still have had me?" he asked.
cvrazy with bliss. He laughed from
the heart.
: Eyes. 1 suppose SO. But like you
better as you are" May said dry
ly.
Can kiss you?" She asked, and
then she did SO, carefully but with
out end.
1--WE are going to Waikiki for
our honeymoon" Martin murmur-
ed, whirling like a merry-go-round
from sheer happiness.
ITO the moon, If you like" May
whispered between one breath and
the next. ut won't cast SO much"
"But I'm a rich man now. 49,"
Martin said after a moment, con-
tinuing teh often interrupted talk.
Mays answer was little to the
point. What darling hands you
have" she said, playing with his
sound one.-a great, swimmers
paw. mo one else in the world
has such enormous hands-regular
shovels. And your finger-tips are
creased as a newborn baby's. And
rowing calluses, four on each hand.
And a little tuft of white hairs on
each finger. What funny creature
you are. And what funny, darling
hands. I've been thinking about
them all the time-all the time"
She suppressed sentimental re-
mark and collecte. her thoughts.
$50 you're rich? Have you had
news, then, Of your most unprom-
Using Herr Meyer" she asked gaily,
as she followed with her fingers the
white creases on Martins fore
head, which had now lost some
thing of its brown tint.
Eyes, by Jove. He's written"
Martin answered grandly.
May sat without speaking for a
few moments. at Is almost q pity"
she then said. You're such q dear
boy, Martin. Such a dear boy. And
when you have money and a fac
tory you'll get like all the rest of
them. Will you, do you Think"
Martin was silent and dubious. All
the Joy and the excitement and the
kisses had left him weak. And In
this state of weakness he saw him.
self going out first through re.
volving door and then through
workshop. For a moment he was
STOPPING beside Puck in the garden.
hungrily eating unripe currants,
and immediatel. after he was sit
ting, stout and prosperous In an
armchair heavily upholstered in
green plush.
Tulip Land has gone forever"
he said to this stout Martin In the
armchair. But one must not put
on fat. ! shall keep fit. The main
thing is--we're through. The last
squirt was frightful."
Are you poking? VIVA. 10 Tulip
Land?" asked May anxiously. Mar
tin sohok his head as he looked
round the room for something. He
missed something. But he had no
idea he was looking for Puck. lie
swallowed twice.
what are YOU looking for? Do
you want something?" asked May.
Martin looked at May, and his
look was blIssful. lie swallowed
once again and said nothing. lie
felt an odd sensation. q good fam.
iiiar sensatlon that now he sud.
denly recognIzed--he was hungry.
I'm hungry. he thought. and the
thought pieased him strangely and
incomprohensively. Bat he said no.
thing OF II 10 May. People don't
speak ef hunger when they know
what II IN 10 be hungry. And he