The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-18
CHAPTER TwENTY-sIx

LISTEN, you two-either or
both of you" shouted Trent.
You've only got to agree to my
proposition and you can come
right in and sit down to a meal
every bit as good as this one. Now,
be sensible-what do you say?"
Gun gripped Tommy's arm, and
whispered:
mot a word. This l. my show"
He suddenly started to shout:
Get inside, you filthy, torturing
swine! Get out Of my sight, before
/ throw something at you, you
dirty. cowardly hound! By God AL
mighty
His voice rose to a scream; his
Language obscene, blasphemous and
finally incoherent. Then his voice
cracked and he was silent, The
whole performance sounded like
that Of man on the edge Of a
breakdown.
Inside the room Trent turned
away from the window with a
complacent smile.
Its getting that fellow, at any
rate" he observed, in low tone.
"Gunston's cracking, all right.
He'll give in before long, and then
we shall see. OF course, he's only
the assistant. but he knows quite
a lot-and half a loaf Is better
than no bread. Besides, once y4--,Xe
got him, I don't suppose the r,Aer
fellow will hang out for long
Outside Gun was hopping The
perspiration from his brow, and
whispering to Tommy HazeldeaHe:
Il believe that wasn't a bad eff
fort. Itll make Trent think I'm
weakening all right, and pave the
way for working out my little
scheme"
"All right as far as 1t goes"
Tommy answered. But I'm
damned IL ! see what were going
TO gain by it,"
Il came here to get Information,
and I'm almost certain to see
something or other"
Il dare say--but what the hell's
the good of all the information in
the world if we're penned up here
until they starve or freeze us to
death"
Gun shrugged.
Don't be downhearted! While
there's life there's hope!" he re-
torted, rather weakly.
There came a gruff call through
the darkness. and through a sort
of trap in the fence a bundle was
pushed in. 1t contained their sup
per ration-half a loaf of bread,
wrapped in a couple of old army
blankets. 1t was supplemented by
a small jug of water, and then
came another bundle-a small,
portable tent, such IS mixers use,
and ground sheet. This was to be
their shelter for the night.
In silence they meticulously d.
vided their meager ration, ate it
ravenously, and then laid down
their ground sheet and erected the
tent. After which they crept inside
with their two thin blankets, and
huddled together for warmth.
On the edge Of the marshes, near
the spot known as Chenham creek,
where at high tide there was
enough water above the mud to
float a good-sized boat. stood a
lonely inn.
It was an ugly, squat building Of
brown brick. built four-square,
with four windows and a door In
the front, a similar equipment at
the back, and two windows on each
side. II looked idiotically like
house that a small child had
drawn-except that, even in the
sunniest weather, II looked dull
and drab, and it bore about 1t, both
within and without, an atmosphere
OF sinister sordidness.
In what passed for the bar par
lor Of this tavern, which possessed
the queer name of the Soul at
Sea-" Cazelton stood, on a certain
morning. making inroads into
pint of beer.
He used the house regularly,
partly because II attracted him in
some way. and partly because he
always felt that there might be
something Of interest to be seen or
heard there, in connection with the
business which kept him In Chen
ham. Also 1t was the nearest
house of CALI to the lonely farm
house where he had his lodgings
There he was supposed to be a
gentleman who had been ill., and
had been recommended by his doc
tor to spend few weeks on that
part Of the coast, living very
quietly.
In the long. low. bare room. with
its whitewashed walls and old