Evening star., 1940-01-12
oar Of a bus on the road behind

roar Of a bus on the road behind
her.
Frantically Claire gestured for the
driver to stop, and when he pulled
his heavy vehicle up, she clambered
aboard.
Berlin" she told the man and
produced q 10-mark note.
Three marks, Fraulein," the
driver said. He was elderly, OBJ
viously beyond regular military age.
An Anxious Moment.
Claire breathed easier when he
had given her change, and settled
back In a seat. She had glanced
casually about the bus when she
entered, but aside from two men,
dressed In rough working clothes,
and woman carrying a large bas-
ket which she kept carefully on her
knees, there was no other passen-
ger.
At the village the bus paused for
several minutes, and Claire was
nervous when the driver disap-
peared into a building.
did he suspect her?" WAS he
calling the police?" were questions
which rushed through her mind.
BY a tremendous effort, she con-
trolled her feelings outwardly and
pretended to be interested in the
dozen or more passengers who
climbed aboard.
Finally. the driver reappeared-
alone-and after he had collected
tickets and fares from the new pas
sengers, the bus lurched onward
toward Berlin. Claire could scarcely
believe she actually was In the heart
Of Germany, each passing minute
bringing her closer and closer to
the man she loved-Bill Cameron.
Where was he? Was he still safe?
Would she be able to find him
give him the message that had been
intrusted to her?
The bus was stopSing more fire.
quently now. Men In uniforms Of
various sorts were among the pas
sengers, but they seemed intent on
their newspapers or on pamphlets
they drew from their pockets. They
paid not the slightest attention to
the girl who was quaking with fear
as she shrank down in her seat.
In the Heart of Berlin.
1t was little after o'clock when
the bus finally rolled into the heart
OF Berlin and drew up to a stop at
Unter den Linden and Friedrich
strasse.
Claire had been in Berlin that
summer with Bill Cameron and
they had had rooms at a hotel near
where she alighted from the bus.
The German diplomatic corps at
that time had done everything pos
sible to make their stay pleasant.
Tours and trips about the city had
been arranged for her while Cam
eron was attending conferences. and
there had been constant entertain
ing for both of them after hours.
Claire hoped that she would be
lucky enough to avoid running into
the many persons she had met then
or, If she did. they would not
identify her as the American girl
who purposely spoke German very
badly when she was with them.
This was at Cameron's suggestion,
on the theory that she might hear
things not intended for her ears If
it were thought she had merely
smattering of the language. She
had picked up several bits OF in
formation at that. which helped
him considerably in his negotia-
tions.
Claire had learned the downtown
district Of Berlin fairly we'll during
her previous stay, and unhesitat-
ingly turned south when she alighted
from the bus. She didn't know
exactly where Jaeger strasse was.
but she found it after a walk of
only four blocks, and had little diff
ficulty in finding Frau Weber's shop
at the address that Yorke had
given her. The door was securely
locked. and repeated knocking
brought no response. She would
have to return later.
Nearby, at a small restaurant, she
ordered rolls and chocolate. and had
a bad half minute when she almost
asked for coffee-something that
was then being rationed so carefully
that 1t couldn't be bought in any
restaurant.
She'd have to be very careful
watch every word she uttered
never make one false move.
(TOmOrrOw-Friend nr Foe?)