Evening star., 1932-04-12
INSTALLNTENT xxx

FuIIlGT, yOu AANC
a per cent on the turnover as
long as the patent rights are in
force. A managerial post Is, OF course,
reserved for you, so that you could
euperintend the enterprise, and this
would be separate arrangement be-
tween yourself and the Fimorag con-
cern, The first thing is your immedi-
ate presence In Berlin, so that you may
conclude the negotiations in person. l
will gladly give you my assistance, Tor
I know that you play a good game OF
billiards but are a poor hand at buSi-
ness. I inclose a check for 1000 mako
and hope for an early reply.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) ERICH MEYER"
Puck let the letter fall on to her
white apron and shook her head.
What a silly letter" she said. What
a lot of rubbish-U. S. A. and Palzethil
and patent rights. Double Dutch
YOU can't understand word Of it. And
here's a bit of paper in with it. Is this
the wonderful letter you've waited Tor
all this time?"
Martin felt his mouth quiver. 1t was
a mere involuntary spasm, not smile.
He stared at the damp-hecked st.
Ursula and riveted his attention upon
her to prevent himself from getting
dizzy and slipping away into vacancy.
"Yes-thats the letter. he said. His
heart. which for moment had seemed
not to be there, started with jerk like
q motor engine. Puck wiped the sweat
from his brow.
well. there, you've got your letter
now. I always took it for fairy story.
I always thought the letter would come
from Tulip Land. Is it a good letter?
/ didn't understand a single word OF
it."
"Yes. Oh. yes. Puck Very good. It's
all good" Martin murmured.
Two thoughts ragged in his head, as
large as the world and with a noise
like a gigantic dynamo. Work at last!
roared the first, the first thought of all.
And then Immediately after, the second
one-May at last Martins chest eX-
panded in his hospital nightshirt. 1t
swelled up, and his neck swelled, too.
His ears became red, and the veins in
his forehead started out like whipcord.
He was within an ace of exploding and
flying to atoms Suddenly he shouted.
He was very weak, but he shouted as
If he had all his strength. He roared
and baWled and shrieked like a fog
horn, and on this primeval note he
elected all that he had had to swallow
all the Summer long. His throat forced
the air and the noise out of him till he
was rid of it all, and then Martin
with sweat but utterly content.
Puck was horribly frightened by this
believing; but Matz man and comrade,
understood it at once. He began to
laugh He drummed his grubby little
fists on his shins and joined in the
below with his childish treble.
"Hooray,' he shouted, the letters
come"
The shout had been heard in the
Io 70 M
one was greatly alarmed. They all sat
in rows round the walls and were in
an agony of fear for Martin. There
was humpbacked Resi-, and Vesi from
Schwoisshackels, and large Frau Birndl
and short Frau Mayreder.
Hes dying" they all thought at
once, each in her own dialect. And
the mother superior, in spite of her
~ years, shot out of he cell and Sprang
up the wooden stairs, two steps at a
time. Black, bird-like nuns with white
colts followed her and filled Martins
room with their gentle leisurely move
ments.
Martin sank In q slight faintneSs.
The stir Of people confused him, and
he felt that his heart would leave his
body. But he held it fast, harnessing
his will to the task, and it pulled like
a willing horse In heavy wagon. Mar
ILL ulONcQ LIS 1cCl uIiOC1 Vic OAd1lhCHos
"I must get up. I've got to leave
here" he said with energy. But as a
moment before he had expended voice
and strength to the pitch of exhaus-
ton. no more than a feeble murmur
could be heard.
Very well-very good" the mother
said to comfort him. A spoon with
something bitter in it was put to his
lips. After this he drank some water
nd Low hoa fn,- naf m fl1n
pillow before getting up to travel to
Berlin.
Il am little tired, dash it all" he
said, with a smile that asked forgive
ness. At the same moment he went
of in trance to Waikiki where May
awaited him with the courage and
reliability he loved in her so much.
A number of strange things occurred
TO Martin after this. 1t was like long
railway journey. He slept and was not
actually asleep. He aWoke and yet was
not awake. Whenever ne opened his
eyes he saw the same room with the
cross in the coverlet, the coarse sleeves
OF the hospital nightshirt, the brown
wall, the saint with the flecks Of damp.
But though it all persisted, it altered
nevertheless and was always different
every time he opened his eyes.
For example: at ore moment he saw
man whom he knew thought he had
forgotten his name, stout man with
a big head and pince-nez. This man.
who. as Martin knew quite well was
afraid OF the water but otherwise a good
fellow. held Martins hand in his and
looked at watch. Then with worried
air he vanished in a swirling black mist
that swept past before Martin set off
again on his trance-like Journey I
Another time the room was full of
busting people who were speaking
about him in angry undertones
The carriage Is fun" he said indig- !
nantly.
Quite right Very good. II will
soon be better" he was told consolingly. (
Ny mother must come" he de-
manded, and this seemed 10 sadden the
people who we're present.
Martin settled 70 sleep again In i'll
humor But they wakened him again.
This time there was a man there whom
Martin took 10 be his old head master.
He had a white beard and gold spec
tacles. Martin az once comported him