Evening star., 1932-03-16
MARTINS SUMNER
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considered matters. The lake had gone
crazy beneath the storm. Martin was
tossed hither and thither like a rubber
ball. once he thought OF little Matz,
and wondered whether he had put back
in time with his old tub, and also he
thought of the safety OF his stop watch.
which had cost him such sacrlnce
not to pawn. Then for a time he
thought of nothing, for there was no
breath left in his body.
Suddenly he realized the danger he
was in. Damn til" he said as he tried
to turn on his side. Damn it ALL"
And then he swan on again. He was
painting now. His heart thumped
against his ribs, and the strength ebbed
swiftly from his stiffening limbs. This
lasted a long time. At last, when he
knew that 1t was a matter Of life or
death, the fury of the waters seemed
to enter into him. He fought. He
plunged his arms into the water as If
graphing with an enemy, He cried
out, and this, since 1t cost him breath,
was an utterly senseless thing to do.
But he had to give violent expression
to his rage and sense of impotence.
Amid the storm he heard his own pant
ing breath.
Finally, when 1t was quite dark,
when there was not trace of the shore
and not glimmer to give him his d.
rection, he gave up. Perhaps he was
merely being swirled In circles over
this thrice damned Frauensee. So now
he gave up He lay on his back like
drowned man, as they did at the life
saving practice at the club. He closed
his eyes in a complete surrender to his
weakness. 1t even seemed to him that
he fell asleep as he rose and fell BREATH
lessly between one wave and the next.
But probably he had lost consciousness.
Once he was surprised to see large
star, motionleSs in a patch of cloudless
evening sky. Then the water washed
again over his eyes. He struggled to
the surface, tugging on his will as If
on a rope The effort brought him to
his senses. His heart was strangely
empty but he still kept on swimming
without notion whittier 1t might lead.
The waves were still high, but more
regular and not so madly piled up one
against another. The storm ragged on,
but there was now more force in it than
hysteria. Yes, and there was in truth
large star in rift of quiet evening
sky between the clouds.
Then, though it seemed incredible, a
light came dancing over the water to-
ward him, and just as he was on the
NClSC VI lOcn1S COAISClOUo1lCoo 1lC 1OICcO
himself forward to meet it. He tried
to give the short yodel that the in
habitants Of Frauensee use among
themselves. But his throat and lips
seemed to be gripped by a cramp that
gave way only to his painting breath,
and so he scarcely made a sound. He
swore, and his arms fell limp. His
legs alone kept up their stroke. He
had cramp Of the windpipe. He was
suffocating.
Then close at hand there was a
lantern, dancing over the lake, and a
huge stern-oar with a blade as broad
as stable shovel quite near-one of
those oars the Frauensee peasants use.
1t dipped and rose again in the water
quite close to Martins head. He
stretched his hand out. Nearby rose a
dark, confused mass Of wood, boat, oar
and gunwale. There was voice there
as well.
Climb In, boy" came the voice
through the tumult. Hold tight, and
I'll pull you through. Not into the
boat or you'll sink us. Now then, boy,
can you hold on?"
Before Martins eyes there was O
circle Of light in the darkness. For a
moment he had clear sight Of white
foam sweeping by in the gleam Of the
lantern. He came on hand that was
so close to his face that 1t seemed
of giant size, and then he saw a pair
of eyes beneath the hood Of a dripping
wet woolen cloak. There was nothing
besides but darkness and beating waves.
Suddenly he was filled with a wonder
full confidence and strength. He took
deep breath and drew in the air with
ease. He had been giving in when he
had touched the edge of the boat. The
disciplined instinct of an athlete as
serted itself.
How far to go?" he asked. It
sounded like the mutter of a drunken
man, owing to the cramp in his throat,
but apparently he was understood.
Thirty meters yet" some one said
from the light Of the lantern.
"I can do it." Martin painted up from
the water, and struck out. The car dug
into the water reassuringly beside him,
and he rode over the waves, whose
punch became weaker and weaker.
There's nothing to be afraid of now,"
some one above him was saying.
He heard it distinctly It seemed to
assured him. I'm not afraid, he
thought, and he blew trumpeting note
through the water, induced by excite
ment, weakness and sudden over
weening self-confidence Then he
found that he was no longer in the
water. He was lying PROSTATE, and
there was water weed around his legs.
Here we are" somebody said.
He was pulled on to something firm
and hard and wooden that at first
seemed to rock and afterward became
landing stage. There was the smell
OF a boathouse, and in the feeble light
Of the lantern posts and moored boats.
Overhead the rain pattered on a shingle
roof. The painter was made fast with
rattle of chains, and after that Mar
tin lay quite still and heard himself
breathing.
I'm properly pumped out, he thought,
with satisfaction. It was as II he had
just won race. I pulled 1t of, all the