Evening star., 1932-04-01
INsTALLMENT XVIII.

the Dig 11CAA W.
cherprennig for example, and Bobo.
and the Iyssenhop family, they al
stayed indoors and were invisible.
Good. Martin went about whistling
He behaved as If the weather were f1n'
and nothing at all the matter between
him and May. Once or twice during
the day he left the bathing station ane
strolled into the town.
I'm going to have q meal" he saic
to Herr Brindl. But he did nothing o.
the sort. He did not by any means q
to have meal. Occasionally he cooket
himself bacon and eggs on the splrl
lamp. 1t was the post office he trudgee
to. and came back empty handed. Ht
fingered thoughtfully the real silver
medal which he had won for his record
swim. He swan his 1.500-beter course
though the lake was cold and rough
He took % minutes So seconds-thls
could not be called good time. Agar
he went to the post. Nothing. He
stood in front of the Big Petermann
and whistled No result.
He put a good face on it and TOOK
some money out of his drawer. He lalc
hands on his sacred capital and Wenl
into the Cafe Petermann, where on wei
afternoons the visitors OF the hotel usu-
ally congreated. May was not TO pe
seen. OAA
and whistled in tune to the little or
chestra. -,
'Hullo Martin. happy as all that
asked Carla as she passed by. Martin
paid and went to the post.
On the third day letter was nanaeo
to him over the counter. 1t was an I'M
portant looking registered letter. ano
his heart gave bound as he signed 1oI
il. He tore open the envelope and reao
the letter while he stood in the entrance
pushed this way and that by people com.
ing in and going out. First ne went
white. then green, then he flushed 9
dark red He gulped several times ano
then stuffed the letter into his pocket
end went, straight across the square
and back into, his hut. When he got
in he read the letter once more: II was
a hateful beastly letter, a rotten let
ter through and through. Martin sat
and stared. He threw himself on the
small bed.
A healthy man sleeps off pain that
IL too violent to be borne. SO Martin
slept. and when he awoke, though II
was still bad, the worst OF the agony
seemed to have passed over. Marun
looked for something to do. 1t was
raining hard. He ptilled off his shoes
and began to patch and hammer az tne
worn soles. The Frauensee shingle
was sharp and soon made an END OF
cheap 12-schilling shoes. A walking
tour in them was not to be tnougnt OF
How crisscross and contrary everything
wasI Martin looked about him with an
expression of raging fury and good
humored despair His eyes fell on MS
bahamas which had had a large
tear in the sleeve ever since Anika
Pozwaurek's visit. He took up the coat
and got out his little housewife: linen
seating himself on the threshold near
the dripping spout he began with an
immense length Of thread to stitch
away and forget his troubles.
May found him thus occupied, when
shortly after o'clock sne came stroH-
ing over the wet sand with cigarette
In her mouth and an air Of exaggerated
unconcern. She was wearing leather
motoring coat and a leather motoring
cap. The leather chin straps were un-
fastened and hanging loose, and she
was Sprinkled all over with drops OF
rain. She looked altered in way that
might have been due to late nights and
exposure to cold. Martin noticed this
as she leaned against the door post
beside him, her hands sunk in her large
coat pockets But he was obstinate
and did not look up.
Good afternoon, May"
"Are you all right?"
''Yes thanks"
Martin sewed on. May threw down
her cigarette and trod on it. First she
took breath, then said: 'I only came
to tell you that our walking tour is
Martin vent white for a second time
that day. His nerves had got very
rholyry rA4fTtnr fhacn wnokg 0T
Pity" was all he said.
'Yes. A;great pity"
There was a pause while Martin went
IT tiionght carla had explained
everything" he said next. "I had an
Idea that you had confidence in me.
II not-good. And so-no walking
tour. A great pity"
THAT is another matter" said May,
keeping her hands firmly in her coat
pockets. "We'n talk about your affairs
with women another time. only
wanted to say that we are going away
Going away? When? What do you
mean? Who is we?" asked Martin In
panic.
''Now, at once. As soon as Tat has
packed. The chauffeur has filled up
with petrol. Tat won't stay any longer
he's out of spirits. That woman was
too much for him, and he can't stand
all the talk in the hotel. Besides, ii
never stops raining. And now he wants
to go. That's why our tour is Off"
Mays voice began to tremble, and
her eyelashes were wet with tears. So
she hurriedly took out another cigar
cite. Martin did not so much as
glance up. He merely sewed on blindly
at furious speed. He had the feeling
in his throat that he would have to
swallow his Adams apple.
II see. And so you're simply going
away. And that ends everything. And
I've got to stay on here when it's all
voice that was new and unrecognizable
"Why should you say that? o.
course, it's bad luck that we are leaving
so suddenly and just when I am angry
with you. Yes, it Is true I'm angry
with you. Martin. But that doesnt
mean it Is all over. What an idea
Why, in four weeks you'll be In Berlin
BY that time it will all be better ant
then tt will soon come right"
mo, no." said Martin stubbornly
and shook his head.
"oh, come now-just look up at me
Martin"
mo, no." said he. Nothing vii
come right. It will never be better
It will all get worse And shall no
come to Berlin either. There Is n,
question of my swimming for the club
They've withdrawn my name. They'v
struck me off. I'm disqualified"
GOOD heavens-have they? Dis
qualified? Because you've given swim
ming lessons here? That's frtghtful
For how long?"
"Six months. But Just let them wait
They'll be surprised when they Sc
what a hole they've got themselve
into. Let them see II they can flint
any one to swim the 1900 meters in q
minutes and 13 seconds for them
They'll find themselves in the soup, tn
whole lot Of them in the club. That
all. ] shall resign from the club TO
good. That's what I shall do. That
what they'll get for disqualifying me
But you know, May. this is only tn
a..