Evening star., 1933-04-23
LUXURY LINER
BY Gina Klaus
looeYHIoHT. 1898. " GINA xAus.)

Come now, time for you to co." tina
she knew that she would have to MAKE
q decision.
And her calculating little heat
wasn't sufficiently bemused not to hav'
noticed how much more generous th'
jeweler had been with his money.
was he who had always ordered thu
champagne, and what . lot Of ring
and precious stones he had in his shop
"You left me In the lurch yesterda!
afternoon" she said to WolSogen, ant
that was nasty Of you. And the pinl
chiffon dress you promised me the day
before yesterday-well, I am still wait
ing for 1t. And like him better thar
you-that's the main thing! He Ii bet
ter-looking than you, even II he Is older
and he has much better manners, ane
manners mean q lot to me-"
shoulder and kissed him behind the ear
This wasn't exactly the best Of gooe
form, but the sensitive souls who de.
mand correct behavior under all cir.
cumstances had already retired to theil
cabins.
Haven't you had enough Of it?'
whispered Stephanson to Friederike
"As you pleased" Friederikes face
was uniathomable like the fawless blu.
of the sky. Shall we go?"
Stephanson led her to her cabin
and kissed her hand. Come soon
You will be received like . queen.
Then he gently placed one Of his nm
gers upon her throat:
Tomorrow one Of the most beauti.
full diamonds in the world will rest
there-Rosy-
Friederike's smile had the same alier
impersonality as her seriousness.
II won't be long"
And in 10 minutes she had changed
and was ready. incased from head to
foot in the armor Of proud contempt
for all the world.
But she allowed herself a short re-
spite Next to Stephanson's cabin a
small stairway led to the upper deck
She had a sudden desire. after this
evening with the fumes of wine and
cigarette smoke to breathe q few
breaths of salty ocean air. A few
breaths of solitude. She stepped out
upon the dark deck She stood beneath
the eternally restful stars and above
the eternally restless ocean.
At the same moment Vladimir left
the bar. He was going to Luise Glenn
ems, but Luise was not expecting him
as early as this. and he wanted to take
a few breaths of salty ocean air and a
few breaths of nocturnal solitude.
He got on the upper deck. Between
him and Frieder1ke there was only the
massive superstructure Of the bridge.
He could not see her. but he was think
ing of her. The vague nostalgia which
he had known since his childhood days
was in some strange way associated
with Friederike Not with the mar
velouS queen Of the night" but with
the shy, vague girl who had wept in
the music room that morning.
Friederike on the other side Of the
bridge put her hand in the pocket of
her old coat. She did not known why
she had put her old coat over the gos-
samer Indian shawl before going to
visit Stephanson. 1t was five years old,
the same coat in which she had gone
shopping and tried to find work. In
its pocket she found on old box of
cigarettes. Suddenly she felt great
desire for solitary smoke before she
went to Stephanson-but she hadn't a
match
vladimir lit a cigarette, and wan
dered past the empty deck chairs.
Friederike saw the burning point Of the
glowing cigarette and went toward it.
She imagined 1t was a sailor or q
steward.
will you please give me q light?"
Vladimir mechanically held his wind
proof lighter toward her.
For a few seconds q tiny meager
flame cleaned between two human
faces.
(To Be Continued Tomorrow