Henderson daily dispatch., 1940-10-11
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
RELEASED BY
CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCIATION

CHAPTER FORTY -FOUR
THE DAY passed slowly and I'M
comfortably. Hunger VA merely
annoying-they managed to stave
off the worst pangs with their
slender rations of chocolate and
biscuit. But it Wds a hot day, and
the wind blew dust into their shell
ter, so that the thirst became a
torture. They took turns on watch
at the doorway, the others lying
down and resting. or talking desul-
torily. Gun took the opportunity Of
telling Tommy Hazcldcanc the full
strength of the plot to bomb Lon
don and Berlin, and so rig the
markets. AS he had expected, this
Infatuated Tommy, who afterward
spent his time squatting behind
the sandbags, and sniping at the
enemy whenever he caught a
glimpse of a head or limb. This
did little damage, but it seemed to
afford Tommy a sort of gloomy
satisfaction.
Gun spent most Of the afternoon
carefully examining the papers he
had taken from Trcnt's Office. He
had long talk with Coral about
what she knew Of the gang and its
organization, and particularly of
the private air station near
Cannes.
At the end of it all he heaved a
long sigh.
Its damned hard lines, really"
ne complained. Because, if we
could once get away from here,
and leave these devils stranded, :
believe I could scoop the whole
bunch in, in about three days"
+ Don't you think. there's a
chance of our getting away"
Coral asked, a trifle plaintively.
Gun shrugged.
"Just a chance. Like the mari
ners of old, our fate depends en-
tirely on the wind. If that changes
-. !"
Them" Coral asked, eagerly.
you'll see-if it happens. If not,
no need to torture with the
thought of it."
"And-if it doesn't happen?"
Gun shrugged hopelessly.
1T mayAcomfort you, in view of
what may happen, to know that
the dear Otto suggested that he
was not going to kill you-at once.
But he'd make you wish he had.
You; know fate worse than
DEATH" he laughed.
Coral smiled without mirth.
"Well, he'll be unlucky. I still
have that little pistol of yours"
mo need to worry" Gun put in
grimly. You won't" He waved his
hand to the piled-up cases of eX-
plosives behind them. Al the last
minute I propose to pull the pin
out of a Mills bomb and drop it
behind those. That ought to blow
at least half of them to where they
really belong-as we'll as robbing
them of their precious munitions"
And us p"
"Us? Oh, of course, we shall go
too. It'll be a quick finish, that's
one thing"
$50 We're bound to win in the
end" said Coral, paling a little, but
family smiling.
"This girls got courage! was
Guns inward comment.
Time dragged on. Towards the
end of the afternoon the wind
dropped completely. This increased
the heat, and it increased the thirst
from which they were all suffering,
but to Gun in brought faint
CLEAN of hope. At shutdown the
wind would rise again-but from
which direction?
Curious to think how life and
death hung on the answer to that
question.
None of them complained aloud.
Tommy Hazeldeane sa by the
sandbags, glowering with slightly
bloodshot eyes over the enemy
shelters. He held his rifle ready,
and occasionally licked his dry lips
with a>dry tongue.
Coral MerrideW sat to the left of
him. sheltered from the sun, and