Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1939-05-19
CHAPTER 16

81 feel so foolishly futile" he con-
fided, "shut up here in locked room
talking to myself, trying to keep calm
and vet believe me, Henry, I am
aching to overwhelm those bloody
minded, SOLDERING so-called men OF
letters who sit ready to launch their
flaming phrases and raucous rhetoric
They have got it all cut-and-dried
Not one yard of our beloved Empire
won by those who gave body and SOU
for their country, shall be parted
With.
The clock began to strike the hour
Natresser was suddenly silent. His
severe mood had left him. He stood
close to Yates, whose eyes were fixed
upon the telephone instrument. Be-
fore the last stroke of the clock the
message came.
Norwich speaking. London is on
the line"
Matresser gripped the receiver
which had been handed to him.
"Matresser this end" he said calm
~.
It was Sir Francis voice, husky with
emotion.
eve have won, Matresser," he an
: nounced.
Magnificent"
Sir Francis voice came for mo-
ment shrill and then again hoarse.
cat a great cost. Everyone seems
stupefied. The room is like battle
field strewn with the corpses of
mangled phrases and MORALLY wound
ed hopes. Destroy your telephone con-
nection. Leave with the dawn or
before, if the moonlight helps. Your
pilot will know"
Then silence.
Matresser took up huge pair OF
scissors from the desk and cut the
green telephone cord. His voice seem
ed suddenly inspired. Yates stared
at him in amazement.
"Official orders, Yates. Too late
now for anyone to change their minds
It is only five minutes past eleven
You have sent everything to the
planet"
Everything"
Matresser's fingers were alread!
upon the handle of the door when thu
crash came. The casemnt of thu
French window fell inwards, smashed
through the center and the carpe
was covered with splintered glass. A
man in blue overalls, his face bleed
ing, staggered into the room.
"You must come to help" he criet
in German. "They will kill my pilot
/ myself am shot!"
For the fourth time in fifty years
the alarm bell from the Great House
peeled out it's brazen, dramatic sum
mons. The Park was studded with
fastening figures in various states Of
deshabille. Messengers were running
everywhere explaining the situation
Hidden marksmen from concealed
places in the wood had been shoot
ing at the plane. Volunteers were
quickly called and urged to carry
weapons if possible. At least score
of dogs, barking joyously at their
unexpected freedom had been set loose
Fresh volunteers were arriving all the
time.
Behind the plane itself, Matresser
and the pilot were deep in converse
ton.
"I don't think there will be any
more firing" Matresser said. "They
would not dare, whoever they are, to
try and rush the plane now and they
know they have potted one of you.
We shall have news from the House
directly about your mechanic. I don't
fancy he was badly hurt"
cts a risky thing to mount with
cut him." the pilot said doubtfully.
81 could take the stick myself if
necessary for time," Matresser urg-
ed. "I understand the general mech
anism of a plane, too. It's too late
TO ask for further instructions. We
must stick to those you have. I tell
you frankly I don't like that silence
all Of sudden in the wood. Our as
sailants may sneak back to the attack.
What we want to do is to get away
from here as quickly as possible"
"Quite true" the pilot conceded.
"You have clear run up the path
now and there's an edge Of the moon
showing" Natresser pointed out.
Remember, we are expected. II we