1932-10-31 — Page 49

CHINA MAIL CHRISTMAS NÜMBER.

HANSI

Continued from Page 32.)

"You like everything that Wears trousers," Edna longed to say. She had put on her white dress, and at the last moment had taken it off and put on a black-une.

While they were speaking; there was the sound of a car

at the door, and a few seconds later a tall, well-built man walked in and hung his hat in the hall. As he "entered the room, Hansi ras to-

ward him and kissed him.

-"Please," she said, facing them all and holding her latest guest by the hand, "here is an old, dear friend, Herr Johann Schall. Now I am free, soon we marry. I hope yal wish me happiness, and

Johann too."

Her announcement blasted ita.. way like a charge of dynamite into three minda, and fell like, dew from heaven upon the other three. Johann Schulf bowed and smiled as Hansi introduced him to her neighbours, and shook hands with each in turn. He had a fine, broad pair of shoulders, a well- brushed and well-shaped head, a brown skin and a small military moustache. Frank Tanner seemed flabby and under-muscled bealde him. Not twice do, I do such.a folly. he remembered bitterly, and he felt that his agony must be written on his face. Charles. thought, "Ab.. well, it's best like this; of course, it's beat, but she might have told me. It will al ways hurt." Sam avoided Edna's

pleased? triumphafft eyð and felt a little sick. All along Hansi must have been comparing him in her mind with this good-looking devil. No wonder, she had slapped hus face that day. He remembered it with deep humiliation.

The women at once became friendly, talkative, the men mbre silent, and when they spoke it was with an effort that was at least obvious to their wives. They moved or stood restlessly, prayed that dinner might soon be ready, and soon be over: Charles kept his poise better than the others. and once when Vanessa saw Hansi raise her lovely, fringed, eyes to -her lover's face, she felt, vicar- iously; a pang of pain for Charles" hurt.

"Where are, you staying?" she asked the tall man in German,

"At the "little fun in your vil- lage," he answered. "It is very pleasant there, and the people are exceedingly kind. I will stay there till take Hansi away."

"You are the luckiest of men." she said, and meant it. "She has changed all our lives a little," she told him:

He nodded. "She does that,” he said. and smiled down at Vanessa.

For Sam and Frank the dinner was a nightmare; and Frank, though he sat on Hanai's left. talked, when he spoke at all en- tirely to Edna. Lis!, with the as- sistance of a woman from the vil lage, cooked and served an excel- / font meal, and Charka, whom she,

By Susan Ertz

watched as though specially an- xious to please him, congratulated her on it.

At eleven, Edna remembered her health and got up to go home. . She had drunk cocktails, hock- and a little Cointreau, and was flushed and a trifle ́unsteady on- her feet. The departure, of the others followed soon, and the front door had just closed on the Speeders-the last to leave-whèn Johann took both Hansi's hands and held them in one of his.

"Naughty one," he said. Amiling at her, "what is this you have made me do?"

"You cannot call it naughty, Johann," she protested. "Things were going from bad to worse. Really, it was terrible, here! The lady Lessingford taking to her bed, an invalid. and refusing to. leave it: the lady Tanner giving that poor, silly Frank no money at all, and selling the horse she had given him so that he could no longer ride with me: and the lady Speeder about to leave her home. and go abroad. I can tell you, it. was not very funny.""

"And you are grateful to Cousin Johann, for coming?"

"Darling, you have always been so good to me. All my life, since I was a baby. Tell me, how is Terese? No letters from her for a long time." ·

"Terese is well, very well. We expect the baby in September."

"And little Heinrich? How is he?!!

"Ah, mein Gott, "Hansi, that is

"

a splendid boy! One day we will marry him to Else."

She leaned her forehead against. hia shoulder. "I am so homesick,' she said.

1-

"Poor little Hanail. When do we go?"

"In two weeks I will be ready. Johann. I nearly fell in love with one of my neighbours. It was for that I wanted you most to come." "With which one, naughty

child?"

"With Charles-the one with glasses. He is so nice, so serious. so kind, so intelligent."

"There are

thousands of nice

men in the world."

"I know. And I don't want one of them, I want to work hard. to make money' for Else, to be a" good actress. But, Johann, they were so nice, those two-Charles and his wife. Like partners.. Like you and Terese, a little. If they ever came to Vienna ——-”

"Better not," he said. "Better that you remäin just a happy memory."

"No.

"No," she said, decisively

That is why I hurt them all on purpose-why I behaved badly. There is one Infidelity I could. " never forgive if my husband al- ways had in his mind a lovely memory with which I had no con- cern. No, no, I am not so naughty as to wish to be that. That is one vanity, Johann, that I abso lutely deny myself."

He looked at her and laughed. "You intend well, at any rate, my little Hansi," he said..

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