Evening star., 1940-01-26
CHAPTER 27.

had less than either Of us in these
last few days"
You don't suppose-anything's
happened to him, do syou?" Rene's
tone was casual but Claire sensed
a feeling of alarm back of his words.
"Of course not" she assured him
with an enthusiasm she didn't feel
herself. After all, there was no need
Of worrying Rene. "Hows the
wound?"
"oh, fine, fine. But where can
Bill be?"
"Now don't get yourself into a
stew about him. I'll 60 and see If
I can find where he's sleeping. Prob
ably dead to the world, and
wouldn't blame him after what he's
been through"
Claire Looks for Bill.
Claire got slowly to her feet,
stretched and yawned and walked
slowly own to the bank of the
mountain stream. She plunged her
hands into the cold water and
scrubbed her face vigorously. The
icy water was like an electric shock,
but as she rubbed her checks and
the blood rushed into them they
suddenly began to tingle. Soon she
was glowing and any remaining fog
of sleep had vanished.
After she dried her face as best
she could with her handkerchief,
she started to look for Bill. She
called softly at first, and then
raised her voice a bit, but there
was no answer She quickened her
steps as she half ran from one clump
of underbrush to another, any likely
place where he might have found
shelter for the night. There was
no sign of him,
Satisfied at last that he was no.
where near the little clearing where
they had camped, she turned and
walked slowly back to the shelter
where Rene was now sitting up. The
girl carried helmet filled with cold
water.
We'll, where is hep" the French
officer demanded. did you find
him?"
A>o liz D AioI iiclc. i Drought you |
some water. Have cold drink and |
then I'll wash your face for you.
That will wake you up
Where in the deuce do YOU SUD-
pose Bill is?" You don't think :"
A Partridge Would Do.
.'Of course not" Claire interrupted
assuming a confident air she was far
from feeling. Hes out foragine
again, OF course. Looking for some
thing for breakfast"
Rene'S face, which had worn a
worried frown, suddenly smoothed
and wrinkled into an anticipatory
grin.
Il hope it's another partridge.
That was great, last night, except
I could have eaten three or four of
them myself"
Don't worry. Bill will come back
with something"
Rene fshed in the pocket of his
leather jacket and produced pack
age OF cigarettes.
Il must have felt low yesterday |
I'd forgotten I had these. After
Bill comes back and we have break
fast, think Of how good a cigarette
will taste! That mountain water
certainly gave me an appetite"
Claire had finished bathing his
face and was carefully removing the
bandage from his shoulder He
WINGED slightly as the last of it
came free, and glanced curiously at
a
from the bruise of the bullets
impact.
"How's it look to you?"
Fit as q Fiddle.
Swell, Rene, I think you're going
to get out Of this now without any
more infection. That cognac Frau
Weber gave us must have a power
ful antiseptic power. How do you
feel-stronger?"
Fit as a fiddle. The sooner we
get back to Paris, the better I'll like
it. I have a date with Maria to-
night. Do you think We'll make it?"
Claire was deftly fashioning a
clean bandage from the remains of
Rene's shirt and finished it before
she answered.
I'm afraid not-not tonight. May
be tomorrow night or the next one
If we're very lucky"
We've been fools for luck so far,
so why shouldn't it hold out?"
You're pretty fond of Maria,
aren't you?" Claire asked, pulling
his jacket over the bandaged should
er and buttoning it up about his
throat. Have you known her long?"
"Oh, seven or eight months, I
should say. She's very fascinating
-charming-lovely. In fact, Claire,
I'm madly in love with her. Or
had you guessed?"
Well" she laughed, "I rather
suspected it. Are you-are you en-
gaged?"
Claire Hides Her Doubts.
"As you would say in your very
expressive language, you've got me
there, pal. don't know. I con-
slider myself engaged to her, but I
don't know for sure how she feels
about it. I've been begging her to
marry me for the last five months,
but she keeps putting me off. What
do you think of her?"
Claire turned her head away,
afraid that the doubts she had about
Maria Herczek might show in her
eyes. How could she tell this man
who had saved her life and Bills too,
that she suspected the woman he
loved was in the pay of the Nazis?
She had nothing to back up her
suspicious except intuition and the
warning she thought she had read
in ~. Y.'s" eyes when Maria was