The Wilmington morning star., 1940-11-29
Before The Blitzkrieg
Continued From Page Ten)

wrenched the automatic away.
Otto heaved and writhed like a
thrown heifer. Gun kept his grip
on the throat, peered down at his
adversary to get just the right
aim, then swung the pistol by the
muzzle and brought it down heaV-
lily on the others head.
Otto choked and grunted, and
Good work, boy!' chuckled
Tommy, as Gun got onto his feet.
But Gun was not looking for APP
plause.
This is where we get very, very
busy" he gritted, from behind his
tech. "Or We'll have the whole
gang swarming like bees"
He picked UP the hat that Otto
had been wearing. 1t was green,
and had a distinctive shape.
Tommy, take that handkerchief
Off" he directed, and added, with
a studded grin: Reversal of the
usual process-house lights up, and
the show begins"
He turned to Coral.
I'm going to be Otto for a min
ute or two. You go down the path
in front of me, and hurry. The
guard will take me for Otto-I
hope. The moment he opens the
gate, 60 right through-and leave
the rest to me-" .
Tommy had taken off the hand
kerchief, and the room was flood
ed with light. A moment later the
guard at the gate, who was inter-
ested, saw Coral hurry from the
house followed by one who, silhou-
cited against the bright light, he
took to be Otto. After that, his
eyes were on Coral.
He unlocked the gate as she hur-
ried toward it, with the man close
to her heels. Coral went right
through, and as the man he took
to be Otto came to him he was
surprised to seem him raise his
right hand as though in saltue-an
unusual courtesy from the sui
len Otto.
On that feeling of surprise he
faded out, for Gun brought the
pistol down on his head with sci
entific precision, and he slumped
soundless to the ground.
Gun bent over him and secured
his short rifle and bandolier. Tom
my was standing in the lighted
doorway, staring into the dark
ness. There were clouds over the
lfoinf ronor Of fh0 po0oonrf ~
which Gun thanked the gods. He
also prayed that Tommy would
have saVVy enough to stop where
he was for a few moments-it
would tend to allay any suspicious
the sentry might have.
go and have a word with the
other guard" Gun whispered to
Coral. Hold his attention just for
a moment or two"
Coral turned and walked to-
ward the angle of the wire fence
and as she went she paused to
light a cigaret. Gun feverently
blessed both her wit and her
nerve, as he turned outward and
made a detour through the shad-
oWs.
Out of the darkness the butt of
the rifle that was now Guns con-
nected with his occiput, and he
also fell and lay still.
Gun chuckled and whispered:
cts beginning to look like the
stage during a performance of
Hamlet! Now go around and meet
the other one, at the back"
Coral made a face.
II don't like this at all. It's.
it's thuggish, somehow. And these
boys have been nice to me-
"It's been said before" retorted
Gun, that necessity is the mother
of more children than invention.
Get to it-time counts"
He melted into the shadow once
more.
In the doorway Tommy, peering
and straining his ears, suddenly
realized what an excellent mark
he made. He side-stepped, and
walked through the darkness to-
ward the gate, where the form of
the first guard lay-very still.
Coral hurried around to the
other side of the fence, and called
in a low voice:
"Slim-just a moment, will
your"
A nasal voice answered.:
Coming, Miss"
They met a yard or so farther
along.
Say, Miss Coral, what's the
trouble? Is anything wrong?"
well 1 don't know, Slim, but l
wish you'd just"
At that moment a shadow ma
terialized behind the lanky form
of Slim, and once more the rifle
butt did it's work. Slim went down
like a pole-axed bullock, with no
more than a grunt. And, as though
waiting for the signal, the faint
moon came out from behind the
clouds.
To Be Continued