Evening star., 1933-05-06
INSTALLMENT XIII.

"HE fourth civilian VINO nad come
aboard found his way to the
hospital through the labyrinthe
i Columbia Franz Weber was a
man of 55 and proprietor of a
prosperous laundry business in Brook
, lyn. He hesitated until his rapid heart
beat had grown somewhat quieter. He
had known for several years past that
something was wrong with his heart.
and that he had not much longer 10
| live. But his mother must not know
that!
He had not seen her for 30 years,
and he still thought of her as sturdy
| woman. And now when he saw per-
| fectly strange wrinkled face lying
among the pillows and covers, ne hoped
that he had opened the wrong door,
The nurse said, There he is, Mother
Weber, your SON." Helplessly Mother
Weber looked at the huge man she did
not recognize She took his hand; she
was hunting for the scar two inches
| below the wrist which he had got in a
| fall when he was 2 years old. The
scar was still there. 1t alone had defied
the years; she put away her vision OF
| the fresh complexioned, black-halred
boy who no longer existed and her love
wrapped itself around the aging bald
headed man who was sitting on the
edge of her bed.
"You are not looking we'll. my child, y
she said. You are not ill?'
Tears leaped into Franz Weber's eyes.
but he bravely kept them back and
said that he would be very happy II
| his mother were half as well as he was.
Then he very gently stroked her hair.
Thomas and Martha had left the
| cabin and gone to No. 3. Two can
dies were burning at Boris head. we
must CO." said Thomas, softly to
Friederike Never had she seemed so
overwhelmingly beautiful to Thomas.
Sorrow put the last touch upon this
j noble human face.
| She bent over her dead brother and
kissed him on the forehead. as was the
custom in her family on formal occa-
sions and when one parted for long
time Vladimir took her by the hand
and led her outside.
| How ravishingly beautiful those two
are" whispered Sister Martha. And
| how they love each other"
And how do you know that they
/ love each other so much?" asked
Thomas. smiling But it did not require
any answer on her part.
And what lovely children will be
/ theirs" said Martha. Thomas was
grateful to her for these words. for they
showed her good intentions to say yea
to life and to love.
If you'd like me to, I'll help you pack
your trunks she said, and he was
quite content to accept her offer. so
content that he was wondering whether
it had its origin in the pleasure OF her
company or the fear of being alone:
Early in the morning they had
talked with Krieglacher when he came
to have a look at Mother Weber His
satisfaction at having secured most
competent assistant" and a most
competent nurse" both at the same
time was very great They had decided
that Thomas should enter his name on
the medical register in New York at
once, so that he might lose as little
time as possible in securing his Amer1-
can medical certificate. But his con-
tract compelled him to return on tae
Columbia; he would sell his house ano
try to persuade old Irene to accompany
him to the West.
Sister Martha had decided to spend
the six days before the return OF the
Columbia on board New York, without
! anything to do. frightened her.
They sat chatting upon the trunk
when a steward opened the door
Doctor, the inspector is waiting fol
you!"
Thomas leaped up. shook Martha by
! both hands somewhat brusquely but fol
a long time.
The inspector was turning to the
last passenger.
Cabin number?'
"Thirty-five."
The Official ran through his list
Sybil. like a timid bird, peered right
and left. Her eyes remained fixed upon
Thomas. tremendously huge eyes in
pale, nerve-racked face.