Evening star., 1941-07-19

lighted the cell with his flashlight.
He found a deck of cards on the
center of the floor, the ace of
spades turned face up atop it. He
took up the one card, studied it,
muttered an oath.
He left farewell note" he said.
And read: pals, got out of big
ger jails than this mousetrap.
Veretti"
McRugh said. "Yes, but how did
he get out of here?"
Phil said, Give us some light
here, lieutenant" And when Hughes
obliged, ne studied the lock 1t was
old and rusty, and there were
bright scratches on the inside about
the keyhole. Phil nodded
We'll. he picked the lock-some-
how. But how did he get out of the
building without the guard seeing
him?"
They puzzled over that for a time,
then they found a small litter of
dust and wood splinters on the cor
ridor floor. Directly above was a
trapdoor. The trap was II feet
from the floor. 1t seemed impossi-
BILE for man to reach it without
something to stand on.
Phil Shows How
"An agile man could do it." Phil
Howard said. Il did the trick as a
kid. Look"
The corridor was very narrow, so
narrow Phil could brace his shoul-
ders against one side and place his
feet against the other. With hands
fiat against the wall, behind his
back, he worked his way slowly up
1t was simply walking up a wall
He reached the ceiling, braced him
self and pushed at the trap. II
moved easily.
Heavy footsteps sounded and the
post commandant came in. He
growled, well, what are you play
ing. Captain-human fiy?"
Phil worked his way down. came
to his feet. 1t. Hughes was report
ing Veretti's escape.
We'll, send the guards to search
the ground" Hammond said. He
can't get past the sentries."
Phil Howard didn't agree. He had
hunch that Veretti had already
got past the sentries somehow. He
was right. The guard detail re-
ported that the escaped prisoner
was not within the post.
Hammond exploded, his face red
with rage, seeming to take the es-
cape as a personal affront. "I1l get
him!" he finally said. 1t seemed a
threat. Lieutenant, phone Sheriff
Haskin at Seaberth and tell him
there's a man loose in the glades
Veretti may be smart, but Haskins
will track him like bloodhound"
Excuse me. sir" said Phil How
ard. "As I said in my report about
Veretti, he threatened to see Stacey
Van Arden again. He may try to
get to Van Arden"
Tell the sheriff that, Lieutenant
Tell him the man may be danger
ous."
A New Clue
Hughes went out and Hammond
called for the sergeant of the guard
Burke came in and saluted. The
CO. ordered him to get a dozen
men, arm them and make a search
through the glades.
They returned to the officers club
and Maj. Porter was there eating
a sandwich and drinking coffee
which he had fixed himself and was
apparently the only dinner he'd had
Porter, because the War Depart
ment bigwigs had put him on spe-
cial assignment, followed no rou-
tine. He had no duties. None knew
why he chose to work at isolated
Fort Marfield; the major limited the
gun he was trying to perfect was so
revolutionary only isolation would
keep 1t the secret 1t warranted.
Maj. Porter said. with q total
lack OF concern, Whats all the
excitement about?" And he showed
no interest as Phil told him about
Veretti.
He merely said, "Is Veretti a
swarthy chap with eyes like black
diamonds?"
That describes him pretty well.