Evening star., 1940-08-08
CHAPTER II,


working to disrupt plant production,
at present concerned with dies for air.
plane motor parts.
CHAPTER II.
Before Nancy could ask another
question, the driver of the truck
was out of his cab and had come
over to their car. Mr.. Bristow rolled
down the window and leaned for
ward to talk to him.
Say, Mr.. Bristow, I'm terribly
sorry about this" the driver began.
His employer interrupted him.
Nothing to be sorry about. You did
a nice job getting out of the way.
Congratulations"
Thanks" The driver, tall, SUM-
burnt youth, Redeemed little. "If
Ida seen him coming there
wouldn't have been no danger. He
came at me so quick, though, I
didn't have chance"
They're skillful, all right" Mr..
Bristow said irritably. How the
devil, though. do they know when
these shipments are going out?"
The truck driver took off his cap
and scratched the back of his head
furiously. Search me. But they
do"
We'll. you might as we'll go on"
his employer said YEARLY THE
chances are they won't try it again
this time"
The young man grinned. 'If they
do. III dodge EN- again.
He turned around and started
back to his truck. Before he had
gone more than few steps, Mr..
Bristow called him back
Just minute" He paused for
an instant, and went on. Some day
you may not dodge quickly enough.
understand you have wife and a
new baby. Want to be taken of this
run? If you say the word, Ill"
The driver interrupted him
hastily. His blue eyes seemed to
have changed color. to have turned
a steely gray. mo, thanks, Mr.
Bristow. I'd rather stick with ii.
I'll take my chances of not getting
out of the way"
John Bristow smiled for the first
time In several minutes. "Okay, Bill,
suit yourself. Good luck"
Bristow Reveals Plotting.
AS the truck driver walked back
across the street. the white e-haired
man called to the chauffeur to
drive on, and leaned back heavily
against the cushions.
Nancy Thorne had found her
voice at last. Whats 1t all about?
Please-tell me. Was that a-was
that man deliberately trying to
wreck the truck?"
Her companion set staring out the
window at the seemingly endless
succession of dingy brick buildings
that flashed by. His face was set in
hard, grim lines.
Eyes, my dear, it was a deliberate
and very skillful-attempt to
wreck that truck. 1t wasn't the first,
and I have no hope it will be the
last"
oh" 1t was a long, indrawn
gasp. She started to ask another
question, but Bristow interrupted
her.
"Only two attempts, SO far, have
been successful. In one, the contents
of the van were damaged. In the
other, they were all but completely
destroyed. The driver of the truck
the second one-was killed"
There was silence.
But why" Nancy said suddenly,
"Why?"
John Bristow sighed, and laid a
hand over hers. Have you ever
heard of sabotage, child?" He was
silent a moment, and went on, 1.-THE
contents of that truck are vital in
making airplane motors to fill army
contracts. Their loss might mean q
delay of weeks-months-in filling
those contracts" AS he went on
he seemed almost to be talking to
himself. "The financial loss in
volved is not important-is moth
ing. But that delay" He drew
long breath. Somehow the time
when each important shipment is te
be made is discovered. I thought
we'd stopped every possible leak
but evidently" He seemed sud-
denly to remember something.
Explains Vacancy.
Nancy, dear, keep this in mind
Out at the plant-there you will
fill a job left vacant by a girl who
was just fired. Maybe there will
be little feeling that-well, that
she was let go in order to make a
place for you. That is because,
when she was discharged, the cir
cumstances were such that-we
could not make any explanation"
II don't quite understand" she
said. her brow wrinkled a little.
We'll, never mind. You don't
need to understand. Only that the
girl-her name was Hill, Luella Hill
was not fired in order to make a
job for you, but for other reasons.
His tone seemed to imply that
she should not ask any more
questions, and she remained silent,
thinking it over. She was a little
sickened and angry by 1t all.
Uncle John"
His face frightened suddenly
'You haven't called me that since
you were a youngster! What is 1t,
my child?"
isn't there some way to stop
them-some way to find out who
they are?"
Eyes, of course there are, my
dear. Men are working right now
-" He broke of suddenly and
then said, "but there hasn't been
much success so far"
Nancy Thorne started to speak
asad s$nnsaAA haraaif mad raaafvs