The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-09
Before The Blitzkrie g
by Rupert Grayson

ment. This idea became confirmed
when he observed that there was
a guard at the gate, and two 9TH
ers each watching two sides of the
square fence.
Gun became interested, and
strolled down to the fence. The
man patrolling that section was
plainly not a regular soldier He
wore a suit of mechanics overalls
Of khaki, and -brimmed felt
hat. Tennis shoes on his feet. and
cartridge belt loosely slung
around his waist. The rife he car
ried slung was a fairly up-to-date
Mauser.
He turned his attention to the
man patrolling the other section.
He wore dungarees and a battered
straw hat-otherwise his appear
ance was much the same as the
other.
But the man at the gate was diff
ferent. He was a big, blond man.
in an open-necked shirt and plus
tours, with golf shoes on his feet
Gun noticed also that the men
patrolling had slouchipg, careless
walk, which could never be found
in even the most carelessly trained
soldier, while the man at the gate
stood precisely as he had seen SEN
tries standing outside official
places In Berlin.
Gun walked as far as the fence
and waited until the man in dun
garees came along.
Good morning" sale Gun In
English.
The man passed on without even
looking at him.
Gun waited until he came back
and, just as he drew level, held his
gold cigaret case close to the net
ting:
"Cigarro?"
The man took not the slightest
notice. Gun strolled after him,
little to the rear. He fell to whis-
Ting. He whistled bar or two OF
the Red Flag"-then the car
magnole." Then, breaking of, Gun
substituted, on slightly louder
note, Santa Lucia"
Gun, who had been watching the
patrols back very closely. was sat-
isfied for the moment, and turned
his attention to the landscape. The
view, after a hundred yards, was
INSTRUCTED by high wooden fence.
Beyond that could be seen the
roofs OF buildings. and from faint
climbing and hammerings that
came to him from that direction,
Gun deduced workshops. This. as
Gun saw from the sun, was the
southern side Of the bungalow.
On the western side was wide,
fiat stretch of ground. rising slow
ly. upward for about half a mile,
with nothing but some tree tops to
be seen beyond the top o. the rise.
This was where they had made
their landing the previous night.
though there was no sign of an
airplane to be seen there now.
The whole Of the northern side
was occupied, within fifty yards Of
the fence, by slope so steep as to
be practically perpendicular which
rose some 20 feet almost sheer.
The face Of II was rocky, with
sparse, coarse grass growing, and
stunted bushes growing here and
there Gun coulC not identify the
bushes, and this fact gave him the
idea Of studying the flowers in the
garden. But they were all English
varieties-pansies. primulas, daffo-
dis, lilies and so on. Evidently i'm
ported. Gun cursed softly. and
turned his attention to the eastern
side.
There was nothing to be seen
here-only the backs Of a row Of
hutments, similar to the British
army huts used In the Great War.
Smoke was coming from the tin
chimney pots. and Gun guessed
that the garrison, or whatever it
called itself. of the place lived
there. and were Just attending to
their breakfasts.
On an afterthought he strolled
down to the fence again. and took
careful stock of the hands OF all
the sentries.
As he turned to the bungalow a
Gathering issued from the kitchen,
and from the bathroom there came
the sound Of Tommy Hazeldeane
singing unmelodiously.
Il don't know what the he'll you
think you've got to sing about"
grunted Gun from the doorway.
well, got a nibble or two, any
way"
Good lad! And as for singing.
why not? Were alive, and the
suns shining. What more d'you
want?"
Ito Be Continued)