The Wilmington morning star., 1940-10-28

Returning 1ToHl a o.n
ing assignment, Gun Cotton, ia
NOUS Scotland Yard agent, goe'
to Sleicbtner's Egyptian Ray
Baths, where he becomes interest
ed in a mysterious stranger named
Pullinger, who is wearing a tat
tooed Egyptian symbol. PulllngeI
is met by a beautiful flame-halreo
girl at the swimming pool IN INC
baths. Gun calls another agent
Coffin Prescott, to trail Pulllngef'
The agent sees Pullinger again
meet a flame-haired girl and trans
the pair, but loses them. Gun
goes to visit a friend and meets
a girl with flame-colorcd hair VINO
apparently came out of his flrend S
house. The friend, Watson, says
the girl is the secretary OF a ouSl-
ness. acquaintance and came
around to pick up some papers,
CHAPTER TWELVE
eyes" commented x the fol-
lowing morning, when he had
heard all that Gun had to say about
it. That's all very interesting
very interesting indeed! But we
can out it aside for the moment.
Gun. because I've got a nice little
lob for you that will be right after
YOUR own heart. Because it means
going up into the air. my lad!'
You mean - flying Guns
voice betrayed an unusual eager
ness, and x smiled.
Just that" he agreed. But l
warn you it may not be just a JOY
ride. And you won't be the pilot,
either, I'm afraid"
81 see!" There was disappoint
ment in Guns voice. He liked to
do his own flying. We'll what do
I do, anyway And what's it all
about, if ones allowed to ask so
personal a question"
x, who was well aware that his
~reticence was something Of a
grievance with his people, ac-
Snowledged the faint sarcasm with
IN equally faint smile.
Il don't know that I am pre-
pared to tell you all the Details"
Was his reply. "In any case, they
are largely a matter Of conjecture
and suspicion, as yet. Perhaps thia
flight of yours will make things q
little clearer-at any rate, I am
hoping SO! I need not ask you if
you have heard about the missing
bomber plane"
Gun smiled. ut was a 'front.'
page story in every national news
paper some months ago!
EXACTLY" said x. Then he
asked abruptly: Had you any the
Dries"
Nothing very definite" Gun
confessed. LAS a matter of fact,
I'm afraid I was too much con-
cerned with our affairs to give it
much thought"
We'll. I have!" said x. a trifle
grimly. I've given it quite a lot
Of thought, and l have several the
cries. It's in connection with these
Or with one in particular-that
you're to make this flight. And
that's about all I a tell you at
the moment!".
But Guns lazy brown eyes were
alight with eagerness and, leaning
forward in his chair, he ventured
one more question:
DO you mean that-you suspect
foul play in the case of this miss
ing plane"
x nodded.
eyes! But, mark you, it's only
E suspicion as yet!"'
IT see!" said Gun, but the ex-
citement in his eyes had not
abated. 1T sounds interesting,
anyway. Now, what are my in
structions"
From under his blotting-pad Z
extracted a section of map.
This" he explained, covers a
portion Of the Essex coast. You
may as we'll know the lay Of the
land. Here, you will observe, is
Southend and the mouth of the
Thames. A little higher, up here
past Durham, iS Bradwell. Then
comes the mouth of the River
Blackwater, and beyond that Mer-
sea island, Brightlingsea and Clac-
ton. Now, working inland from
Brightlingsea toward Colchester,
we find Wivenhoe. And between
RELA T.ANAN COT1pr DE