Evening star., 1933-05-04

"HE officers table was the only
one where some sort Of festive
mood prevailed. But with each
drink that Thomas took he sank
more deeply into the sadness OF
his heart, as into bottomless morass.
HIS grief, as If it had lain in wait for
q momentary relaxation in his will,
stretched out its arms for him and held
him In its deathly embrace. He was
no longer thinking Of Sybl. The time
of hatred and wild desire had passed.
He no longer wanted to force her to
return to him; no longer wanted to
kill her. There was nothing whatso-
ever he wanted. He was lonely, dis
couraged, without joy and entirely at
loose ends.
On this night Luise Clemens sat In
the place of honor beside the captain.
She again had dimples in her cheeks.
She also opened the dance in the ball
room. When she returned she found
Francis Hanson of the Evening Press
beside her.
Luise ran her warm. expressive hand
across his golden blond hair:
You are attractive, you Americans.
You have such a lovely skin and such
lovely silken hair
Francis took down a couple of notes,
saying, May I use these comments
about American manly beauty in my
paper?"
them?"
Francis began to instruct her.
That's how we make regulations In
my country can put five newspapers
at your disposal We will flood them
for two weeks with your pictures, with
stories out of your life. with reports
about your morning exercises, your slim
ming diet, your favorite books. There
Is no doubt that you will have a full
house at your first appearance. We
will make a success of you, a tremen-
douS success"
Luise listened to him with a smile
and said, "Splendid!" She knew it was
not quite as simple as all that, but
Francis had a wonderful skin and Won
derful hair, and he was an attractive
young man. She always had to have a
page! She stroked his golden blond
head with her warm, vivid hand.
Thomas had just gone by, seen the
episode and smiled bitterly. This was
the secret of Luise's indestructible
youth. She was quite incapable Of love
but she was always in love. She had
always been able to find new enthusi-
aSIn, new stimulants, to feel warm ana
to give out warmth.
Thomas found Boris in room No. 3.
Friederike was with him and also a
nurse who was bathed in sweat from
her long continued work of raising and
lowering Boris arms to induce res
piration.
Its no use," he said to Thomas in
o low voice, shaking his head, but with
out interrupting his efforts.
It is a dissertation of the dead,
Thomas thought with feeling of dis
gust. Why don't We leave him alone
now that he has decided to 60 on the
long journey?
Thomas was on the verge of breaking
down, as he had been a little while ago
at the captains farewell dinner. 1t
was the ghostly foreshadowing of the
arrival tomorrow. He was the most
ridiculous man on board. During the
crossing he had lost his purpose in life!
He had been shipwrecked; he had be-
come derelict upon the ocean without
sudder, without lights.
What is the nlatter?" asked Fried
erike. He had no idea how pallid and
haggard his face looked You ought
to lie down for while. The next room
seems to be empty. I will call you at
once if I need you"
And why not? He was completely
superfuous as far as Boris was con-
cerned
The next room was very narrow, one
Of those really narrow, sober, white
washed little hospital rooms. A chair,
q bed, built-in washstand. Thomas
threw himself upon the bed without
even taking off his dinner jacket. He
was neither asleep nor awake; he was
In that curious state Of semi conscious
ness where thoughts fit through the