Evening star., 1933-05-02
INSTALLMENT XXXVIII.

IN URING all Of Stephanson's life
so rich with adventures and
successes, there had been only
- one being whom he had loved
with all his soul. 1t was his
daughter Mary, who had died when
she was 7. The mother had not cared
much about the child. Neither its
birth nor its death had interfered with
her habits of being great woman OF
the world. Stephanson had never for
given her that, but she did not know it.
When Stephanson had met Friederike
four days ago he involuntarily thought
That's the age my daughter would be
now. And the thought recurred again
just as beautiful, just so perfectly dis
tinguished and beautiful. There was
curious paternal emotion in his en-
thusiasm for Friederike; he wanted to
give her that human corner of his
heart which hitherto had belonged
solely to his daughter.
Now Stephanson had lost all sense
Of the purpose Of his life. But this
time 1t had not been death which had
robbed him. Stephanson had been
Inundated by Friederike before the
eyes of every one on board the Co
lumbia. He did not grieve: he hated.
He did not permit himself to show
any open hostility toward Friederike.
He greeted her in friendly fashion on
deck, asked about her health and then
left. He did not even allow himself to
think about her.
He simply put her in the class of
the insignificant rabble which inhabited
this ship, and how he hated the rab-
BILE! He had gone purposely to the
arcade In the morning to enjoy the
rabbles despair at its financial losses
To enjoy it still more profoundly,
Stephanson sent for Mr.. Traugott. He
wanted to see all the orders the broker
had executed yesterday. all the names
and how much every one had lost.
And he was allowed to see it. On
Mr.. Traugotts neatly tabulated list he
found, under yesterdays date, the
names of all those whom he had met
during the past few days. Some he
found there two or three times. Some
had bought at a low price and got only
few strokes of the whip. but most
Of them had been badly knocked about.
Stephanson could visualize their pres
ent emotions.
Then his eve fell upon q solitary
completely empty column of selling or
ders:
Alfred Marius-200 closing at"
Who was this Alfred Marius, who
yesterday, when everybody-eve Ste
phanson himself-bought shares in
German Shipping, Limited, sold them?
Who was this obstinate fool who IN the
end was right, after all?
Mr.. Traugott did not know. third
class passenger.
Stephanson wanted to meet this fel-
low, Marius. He had nothing else to
do. He sent one Of his staff, down to
the third class to ask Mr.. Marius to
tea. After a time the young man re-
turned with an embarrassed look.
"Mr Marius says that if Mr.. Stephan
son wants to make his acquaintance, he
must 60 down to see him."
Stephanson thought the man who had
stood out against him yesterday couldn't
started of at once with the young man.
Children were playing in the white
painted corridor, as usual. How ugly
all these people are, thought Stephan
son, but the rich people in the luxury
cabins wouldn't be whit more beauti-
full, if you took their fine clothes away.
Veneer, nothing but veneer! Turn things
about and you might change this hail.
grown girl in her shabby brown jumper
and red scarf into triumphant Broad
way fapper; perhaps even, considering
her huge, hungry eyes, turn her into q
siren. But why should one?
Stephanson went past Mill Lensch
without noticing her hesitant greeting.
Old Marius sat on his little camp
chair among barrels of tar, looking like
an old pirate. He sat there regularly
and perfectly at ease in his dirty,
I'D 80 q.
heels shoes. His small, hawklike eyes.
surrounded by wild eyebrows, took IN
Stephansons measure carefully and
seriously.
"Mr. Marius," said the young man,
"Mr. Stephanson has accepted your in
vitation. May introduce you, gentle