The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-19
Before The Blitzkrieg
by Rupert Grayson
CHAPTER TwENTY-S SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
GUN, STARING In the early
sunlight at Tommy Hazeldeane,
suddenly burst out laughing.
Glad you've got something to
laugh at" Tommy growled. But
I'm damned if can see what 1t is"
you couldn't. withou. a mir
ror," Gun laughed. But l do wish
you could see yourself, my dear
fellow. l would never have thought
a couple of days. even of this,
could have made you look like
that"
Tommy grinned sourly.
$50 far as that goes. you don't
look precisely an oil painting your
self, by man"
NO, l suppose not" Gun assent
ed. I'm too hungry to look like an
oil painting. l wish they'd bring
that bread along"
Som hungry as Hades. But
l always am. now. SO damned hun
cry that I'm beginning to think Of
nothing but food"
Gun nodded understandingly.
That's the queer part of tor,
rather, it isn't It's the natural
part of it. After alls despite our
years of what we call civilization,
man is still a primitive animal at
heart! It's only the essential things
of life that matter If anyone had
told you a fortnight ago that the
most important thing in the world
ia you one day would be a hunk
of bread, you'd have laughed,
wouldn't you?"
II certainly should. | was never
a high brow. and I've always had
a certain respect for my stomach,
but / would never have thought
that food would have counted so
much"
That's because you never
starved. have, so l know That's
where this edevil Trent is so
damned clever. And he's got it to
a fine art. 1t wouldn't have been
any good to have starved us. The
stages of starvation are, first a
sense of hunger. Then that gives
place to a sense of emptiness and
faintness. Then pains. And finally.
a sort of coma, Authorizations, and
so on. But. after the first two or
three days. the craving to eat
never comes back"
you seem to know all about It,"
observed Tommy.
II do l told you I'd been through |
It. But, by keeping us with always
a little to eat, but nothing like suf-
ficient even to stop the cravings of
hunger, Trent keeps us a. the first |
stage all the time. And that's the |
dangerous stage-the stage when
men will commit crimes-even
murder-just for food. He's con-
WINGED that IL he keeps us-or, at
any rate. you, in this state long |
enough, desperation viii make you
spill the beans. Oh, he's clever, all
right, damn him.
"Amenw said Tommy. But
you're right, Gun-he's clever. I'm
beginning to feel myself that he'll
SuNNtt0 II iit httHS VII llht iilS
long enough Hang it, l wouldn't
commit any real crime, as yet, and
I certainly wouldn't turn traitor
but I'd give every penny possess
In the world. and ten years Of my
life, for a good square meal, a
strong drink. smoke, a bath, and
a. comfortable bed for few hours
And it's getting worse every day"
Gun shot an anxious glance at
his companion. He didn't quite like
his tone Tommy Hazeldeane was
weakening His critical examina-
ton of the man did not bring any
comfort, either
The dew bath idea was more
spartan than effective. What could
be done with the dew on the grass
and their handkerchiefs. they had
done But 1t didn't amount to
much. There was dirt grimed into
Tommy's skin. particularly where
the stubble Of days surrounded his
chin. His eyes, were bloodshot. and
red around the rims and. from
sheer weakness due to semi-starva-
ton. his lower lip was not too
steady, His clothes were rumpled