Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-03-18
AS TJOURN

something that could not be postponed
any longer, she wrote hurriedly, Dear
Pau: Surely you remember Jeanne
Roman? I am In Berlin combining q
vacation with business and I should
greatly enjoy seeing you"
/ Sealing the note so lightly that a
messenger could easily open II and re-
( seal 1t, she addressed 1t to Paul Perel.
! assistant military attache Of the French
embassy. A messenger would deliver
II IN the morning. The sternneSs and
the cold certainly left her face as she
looked at the note. Paul had certainly
changed, he would find that she had
changed and In that change the rem
nants Of memory of a summer four
years before would not be dangerously
stirred
Yet 1t was unpleasant to think Of
Paul other than as he had been that
summer. They had separated after a
quarrel and that was that and he had
not written. For him. at least. there
had been summers and springs and
autumnS since then.
An invitation to call at his apart
ment on side street off Kurfursten-
damn reached her by return meSsen-
ger. In the late afternoon Jeanne rode
toward the west OF the city. The side
walks were crowded now. the cafes fill
ing rapidly.
In Berlin, as in Paris, people at this
hour were leaving business to get home,
lar from any concern with interna-
tional problems, people who lived all
their days without ever knowing q
moment when life might hang wav-
eringly on one wrong word one arti-
into a wrong street. Jeanne watched
them hurry by and as always she
realized how lonely her own work was.
how lonely it had to be. how far It
put her from these untroubled crowds.
The cab stopped at a modest apart
ment house but she paused at the en-
trance. Paul might resent her coming 7.
he might misunderstood he might 4
even think that she had accepted the 1
assignment on the chance OF seeing .
him again. She would let him know i
at once that she came on business.
Then she rang the bell and a serv-
ant opened the door for her and led
her into a little living room A mo-
ment later Paul appeared, still slender. =
still seemingly young for thirty with
that same broad smile that was half
a question: half a defense.
"Jeannel" He came forward so
quickly and took her hand. Let me
ook at you'll am so glad to see you'll"
He was free of any strain or en-
)arrassment and Jeanne was annoyed
It the fact that she noticed he had
changed.
What are you doing here2" he
lsked.
Business and pleasure" Then. al
most inaudibly, as 1t safe to talk?"
)ne had always to be careful Of die
aphones
''Welll" He shrugged his shoulders.
AS safe as anyone can tell in this
ountry. Perhaps you would like to go
riving?"
She agreed and they got into his
ar and turned west. At once he asked:
Aren't you afraid to come here so
penly? The Germans would count
on valuable catch"
NO" she smiled. This so easily lead
, conversation Of four years ago.
Not yet"
81 am interested in children's books.
S the Gestapo can find out should
1ey bother to investigate me. Bienl
nd what am doing now except to
Xix to one of my fellow countrymen?"
He smiled. Sometime you may de-
de to tell me what you are really
Ding here. Is there any help I can
I've you"
Probably" Jeanne said dryly. Cap
in Dufresne spoke about the amount
information you have sent him In
lie last nine months"
Particularly those last reports" he
iked eagerly. IT hoped they would
ease him"
Jeanne nodded. without having to
k any questions that might have
oused his suspicious, those reports
I'd come into the conversation.
II was very fortunate to get them"
lul added modestly. They are valu-
lie, n'est-ce-pas
Most valuable" Jeanne agreed.
ley as Dufresne had carefully ex-
aimed to her, were two reports show
3 the location Of hidden fortifica-
ms, pillboxes and cement cellars fit
+ artillery mountings, back Of the