The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-11-22
Before The Blitzkrieg
by Rupert Grayson
by Rupert Grayson

hands and knees, and very softly
began to explore with one hand It
was nervous work, and Guns
nerves were not in the best trim
He was surprised and annoyed to
find himself wet with perspiration
after a few seconds. His fingers
touched something hard and cold
which raised his hopes for a mo-
ment, and then caused him to
curse inwardly 1t was not the
keys, but the pistol. And the keys
were behind it.
Nothing for II but patience
Slowly, with the tips of his fingers
Gun worked the automatic aside a
little, bit by bit, until at last his
fingers could get past it, and the
tip of the forefinger could hook it.
self around the keyring. Then the
business of drawing it slowly to-
ward him, not inch b. inch, but
fraction by fraction.
But it was done at last, and he
had the keys in his hand.
Then, still on all fours-there
must be no shadow across the face
Of the sleeper-Gun crept to the
door, opened livery slowly, in
case it should creak--and at last
stood in the passage outside.
He closed the door behind him
noiselessly-then realized that he
had forgotten to fake his bed. in
case Trent should wake, or par
TALLY wake, and take a glance
at it.
Hands and knees again, and
back into the room. More quickly
and less cautiously this time-the
precious minutes were slipping
away all too quickly.
Gun arranged the bolster TO look
as much like sleeping form as
possible, and then back to the pas
sage. On his feet once more, and
the legs still shaky, curse it.
Now another danger to be faced.
The bungalow was queerly de-
signed, and to get to Trents office
he had to pass through the
kitchen. Sambo's domain, and if
the Negro was still awake ri
Gun strained his ears, but could
hear no sound, except for Trents
breathing coming family through
the closed door He catfooted to the
closed doos of the kitchen. turned
the handle very slowly. and opened
it an inch. No light in the kitchen.
and no sound.
Ee, decided, If Sambo should be
there and should wake, to look as
sleepy as possible and ask for
drinking water That might pass
muster or it might could only
try it,,
He switched on his torch, and
sent the little beam of light |
searching around the kitchen. No
one there.
With a faint sigh of relief Gun
slipped, ghost-like, into the kitchen |
and closed the door behind him
A second door opposite. to him.
leading to the entrance passage. |
He opened that with less caution.
not anticipating that anyone would |
be on the other side.
Luckily his anticipation was cor
rect.
Noiselessly Gun moved forward
to the Office door 1t was locked
but the key was on the bunch he
had borrowed. A Yale lock, and
only two Yale keys in the collec-
ton. That was easy Gun let him
srif into the office, and let the door
lock itself behind him.
The room was pitch dark. but he
remembered with a grateful heart
that the curtains over the single
widow were dark and thick. He
could, therefore, put his torch on
with safety comparatively.
He sent the little circle OF light
flashing around the room. then
crossed to the window and made
sure that the window was proper-
" covered. so that no CLEAN Of
light could be seen from outside
Satisfied Of this. he still did not
iare TO put the electric light on.
Despite the thickness Of the cur
tain stuff, that might show
through. No, he must work with
lis torch. /
He turned his attention 10 the
iesk. and the first thing his eyes
lighted on was the cigaret box.
This time the temptation was too
itrong
He opened il. There we're SIX
'igarets on the top layer, and
Trent, he realized, might remem-
Yer. He took one from the lower
aver. and arranged them so that
here were still six on top. Then he
rouched down behind the desk and
i the cigaret with .hls' gold
ighter. ]