The Wilmington morning star., 1940-11-12
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE


Gun and Tommy were both feel
ing the restrictions in diet, despite
the fact that they had been able
to alleviate the discomfort by exc.
ing out the little store OF colo
bacon and such non-perlshable
stuff as they had been able to con-
ceal. But this had now all gone
and they were down to only lou
cigarets, plus a collection OF fag-
ends, which they had carefully
saved, and which would form some
sort of a substitute when broken
up and rolled in some tissue paper
which Gun had found in a cup
board.
They found their days rations-
two loaves of bread and a quart
lug of water, on the kitchen table.
Sambo had been taken from them
two days before, there now beng
nothing for him to cook.
They used half the drinking Wa
s. ter to wash in, although they knew
they would suffer for lack OF it
later. .
About eleven o'clock, Trent
strolled in, smoking a fragrant CT
gar.
well, you fellowship enjoy
ing yourselves?"
"Splendid, thanks!" retorted
Gun, defiantly, while Tommy
slipped around the table so as to
get between the visitor and the
door.
''Hullo, what's your game?" de-
manded Trent, sharply, spottlng
the move.
"Just this" said Tommy, with
a nasty grin. "You seem deter
mined to starve us to death, and
before we get too lear to it l am
proposing to satisfy a growing am
bition to knock your block off"
Trent laughed, and Tommy
found himself staring into the
muzzle of an ugly automatic.
1--WE been expecting this move
Trent announced. But I wouldn't
try it, if I were you. Your obsti-
macy is rather firing me, any
way!"
Tommy glared, snorted, and
then dropped his hands and I'M
clenched them.
That's better. Now, why not do
what I ask, and you'll get all that
you want, and more. Just think,
now, of a nice, juicy steak, with
spinach and potatoes. Coffee, Ii
queur brandy, and cigarets to fol-
low, eh?"
"You can save yourself the trou-
BILE of talking about it," said Gun.
IT dream of it every night"
DO your" Trent shot a quiG
glance at Gun. 1t seemed to him
that he had started off much the
more resolute of the two, though
less laxative and openly defiant
than Hazeldeane. But now it
struck the astute Trent that he
was weakening. Which proved that
he was not so astute as he might
have been, for that wss precisely
the impression that Gun desired to
convey!
Now his expression was strained,
and his fingers drummed restless
ly on the table. Gun could act
when he liked!
"Well, what's the answer to the
usual question tonight" Trent
asked.
The usual answer to the usual
question:" growled Tommy. And
now get to hell out of 1.-THE place
smells better when you're not
here!"
That night they smoked the last
of the cigarets, and in the morn
ing when they woke they found
the doors of the bungalow locked
on the outside, and guards patrol
ing around the place who threat
ened them with their rifles every
time they appeared at a lower.
window. They had now been de-
prived of what little liberty they
had had.
That day was the worst they had
had yet! The close confinement
made them irritable, which state
was accentuated by the inability
to either wash or shave. Their
water was issued in three small
rations, and their thirst was too
great to enable them to save the
quantity necessary for anything
like a wash, while Tommy's razor
blades were now so blunt that it
was impossible to shave without
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