Evening star., 1932-03-30
NSTALLMENT XVI.

A with her story she nodded
wv her head emphatically three
times and folded her hands
with composure on her wet
ekiEt, and looked into Martins eyes
With such trustfulness that he was dis
armed IN spite of his CONSERVATION.
II see. Here you SIT and here you
stay and I've got TO help you And do
you imagine I'm going to do that ex-
actly?" he asked In dismay, after re-
voiving the matter In his mind for a
minute or so.
mo one will look for me here. They
don't even know that we know each
other. Here stay with you and there s
the early morning train at 4:l8 for
Vienna. Let's hope they won't be keep
ing q watch for me and perhaps can
get away on it. I'll creep to the station
when no ones about between 3
and ="
Good. see," said Martin, swallow
ing hard. 80 you'll stay the night
with me Nice situation for me, I must
and began to hack at his table like a
schoolboy, angrily turning his back on
Anika.
She waited q little. Then she began
10 laugh all over her tear stained,
n1ade-up face.
"You aren't angry. Built. You're only
afraid of me-" she said, beaming. Mar
tin turned quickly.
I'm not afraid. Not in the least. "
he told her hotly, in order to convince
himself. only the whole affairs
enough to sicken one. The noble count
travels all over the place and does him
self well and orders fellows about. And
then in the end it's who have to come
to the rescue and clear up the mess
for him"
Anika sat, demure and alert, on the
edge of the bed, and, after all, she faced
her disaster with courage and honesty.
She was wet through and miserable,
but she did not complain. Though she
could not control the shudders that
shook her, and though her lips and her
chin and her little wet hands with their
rosy fingernails trembled all the time.
she would not give way. She made the
best of it and laughed at Martin with
all five dimples at once. A strange
sensation of pity tingled in Martins
hands. He laid one of them on her
tousled name and one under her chin.
"Anikuschka," he said, what light
hearted little beggar you are" He
clapped her affectionately on the back.
Buck UP, Anika. Don't cry. Well
tx it up. I'll see you through"
Anika jumped up and threw her arms
around his neck and dabbed few
quick kisses all over his face. He
squeezed past her and opened the round
shutter wide. "A bit stuffy in here" he
said, with embarrassment. as he ex-
hailed deep breath. Anika pried about
around the small apartment and shiv-
things dripping out and I'm horribly
hungry" she said, and looked expec-
tantly at Martin.
Hungry? Oh, SO you're hungry?
Yes. Well, you won't find much here"
Martin answered in dismay. He went
to his shelf and produced butter, bread
and milk AS Anika began to eat he
sat beside her on the edge of the bed
and watched each mouthful as 1t van
ished between her firm, white teeth.
It was good-by to his supper. When
him.
I'm so terribly cold. Ill have to
take of these wet rags" she said, pite-
ously.
That's the last straw, thought Mar
tin. He looked about for his bathing
cloak, but the humpbacked Rosi had
carefully taken it away somewhere to
dry We'll" he said, turning away,
"you can have my rain coat and warm
yourself in that" He heard Anika
rustling about in the darkness behind
him while he put his head out Of the
window. What terrible situations women
always get you into, he thought as he
looked out at the rain.
wait a bit. I'll fetch some water
and make you some tea. Thatn warm
you up"
At that Anika cried out and said she
wouldn't be left there a moment alone
not for one single moment. But
Martin was unmoved. He went out
and shut the door behind him.
The scene outside had changed mean
while A fine, cold, steady rain de-
scended from heavy clouds, and an
streaks and moist and clinging drifts.
No shore, no mountains we're visible.
There was no question Of encountering
anybody on the beach in such circurn-
stances, and this was at once a relief
and the reverse. He could not imagine
how he was to pass the time with
Anika in his cabin until 4 o'clock in
the morning. He yearned for May as
for holy shrine in which he could
seek refuge. What was he to do il they
searched for Anika and found her with
him? He could not leave the silly,
thoughtless little creature in the lurch.
But the devil only knew what would be
the end Of 1t. 1t was some satisfaction
to think of the ducking he would give
that count, with his blue-black pomaded
head, If he ever got hold Of him.
There were sounds of music from the
doorway of the next cabin but one
Little Matz was crouched on the planks
there like lump Of clay and playing on
his mouth organ In the ram. Martin
stood still with the filled can in his
hand and thought things over.
'Matz," he said, mo one will come
bathing today now. But you stay
where you are and keep a lookout
And If any one wants me-any one
whatever, you understand-you're to
say Herr He'll is asleep. And then
you're to run to my cabin and knock
three times. You're to say Herr He'll
Is asleep. Do you understand"
Right" said Metz, nodding and still
busy with the mouth organ.
When Martin got back to the
cabin there was a strange altera-
tion there. A line had been stretched
from the shelf to the window,
and on it in ordered array every ar
ticle OF Anika's clothing and under
clothing was hung out to dry. The
window shutter was closed, and the