Evening star., 1932-04-10
INsTALLMENT XVII

NH oegerm1narlOn CnaC dld cre0l
IN to his six years. In one of tht
4 i other boats they were hauling
in a net in which some drift
wood was caught. Once the Dobbers-
b9EE boat passed close by, almost graz.
ing them, and Matz had to ship his oar
The baron glanced across with a fe-
vered, unSeeing look at Martin, who
was dropping, wet, and done up. Dob
berg,berg opened his mouth three times
before sound would come. At last he
said In his high pitched voice: Shall
we give it up?"
mo, no." Martin replied quickly, and
pulled himself together.
do you think we shall find her,
them" asked the baron. He had
scarcely opened his mouth that morning.
IF she's in the lake we'll find her"
Martin answered. He was surprised TO
hear himself talking nationally. IF she
is in the lake she's bound to come to
the top"
The boats glided apart The baron
relapSed again. He seemed like ghost,
and his face was Sunken and yellow.
Martin took a deep breath and dived
IN once more.
Three O'Clock. The freight train came
along from the Salzefelden direction.
The people of Frauensee had scattered
again, since it went on so long and
nothing of interest occurred. The few
remaining visitors were doing in deck
chairs. The Iron Tooth was free of
clouds for the first time for weeks, and
the white peak above was once more
mirrored below A bier had been
brought to the Wurmtal landing stage
in case it might be needed. Later the
rumor was that the baron had to be
taken home. He had had a collapse
with an onset of fever and heart-stroke.
The old doctor from FrauenSee, with a
black leather bag dating from the last
century, hurried across to the Schloss
In the motor.
Martins heart, too, was far from
right. but he kept going. He endured
it all-mental strain and physical ia
tigue. Now and then he thought dinly
to himself that this was the most terri
Bile day of his life.
Meanwhile the sun travelled across
to the west side of the lake. On the
Wurmtal shore the alders already cast
shadows Four o'clock. Tiger jumped
into the lake and swan far out. Herr
Birndl took the oars and rowed toward
him. Martin understood him at once
and summoning up his strength he
dived in at the spot round which Tiger
swan in circles.
1Ilc iildll OCSICAOCO a AOll6 A4obdAASC.
1t was dark down there, and there was
an immense weight of water above him.
For a moment it seemed that he would
never emerge Then an eddy caught
him and swirled him to the top. and
he was pulled into the boat. He felt
no pain whatever now. Not a trace.
He lay in the bottom of the boat and
gazed up into the sky. 1t was dazzling,
and he saw 1t quite black through the
drops of water on his eyelasheS. A
sweet and consoling thought came to
him unawares; Puck was not in the
lake. She had not done it, he decided
with complete certainty. Puck was
child. She was fond of life. She would
come back He slept for a few mo-
ments-comforted by this thought.
The evening drew in. The orchestra
was playing in the Petermann. The
Mayreders at the Seespitz let the tele-
scope fall and set off along the prom
enade, with Pamperl soberly walking
between them.
"They may want me along there" said
DR.. Mayreder, as he waddled on his
short legs into Frauensee.
Frau Mayreder brought a bottle Of
brandy. THAT poor young Martin will
be frozen" she said with reason, for she
had had her own experiences Of the
lake.
The Mayreders went on to the beach
and there on the blackboard was chalk
ed up 18 degrees-which was scarcely
the truth. The ticket Office was empty.
The humpbacked Resi- sat hunched up
near the hut where the towels were
given out.
"Yes, yes" she said, that's what
happens"
The beach was deserted and sodden
with rain. The night wind had begun
to blow. The red flag tapped at the
pole like bird trying its wings. Near
the gangway a wet and miserable dog
lay on the sand, his muzzle on his paws
and his eyes fixed on the lake. Other
wise the bathing beach was empty, ex-
cept for a man in a striped bathing
dress with his eye glued to the tele-
scope. 1t was the Saxon gentleman.
There's been an accident appar-
emily" he said to the Mayreders with
out taking his eye from the telescope.
1t would soon be night, and the lake
was already pink with the setting sun.
The Iron Tooth was flushed with
glow that seemed an extravagant enter
tainment fer the few visitors who re-
mained in Frauensee. Frau Mayreder
went right out to the end of the gang
way and stood there with her hands
on the rail and her wrap fluttering in
the wind. She felt like a picture post
card except that she was rather too
stout, She was sad and vet a little