The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-08-18
. SERIAL STORY
Murder in Convoy
CHAPTER MI
BY A. W. osRlEk

H=ttLf ~ AiAsFE must nave cat 49,
At irregular intervals. twc-decker
husses road by and melted again
nto the darkness There we're
few. II any autos other than tsNIs.
Astonishingly few. too. were ev-
5ences of air raid damage
Finally. rs cab drew NJ beside
4 curb
That all be two bob and
tapenee TO- my tip. the driver
sid over h,s shoulder. Just walk
straight lhead and feel for the
toor.
/ Rollins eventually found the door
Knob. The door opened out. he
pushed aside the curtain and
stood blinSirg in the quaint little
place familiar to decades Of Lon
Idan tourists.
A chubby little Frenchman in
impeceable formal attire greeted
I'm. Bon soir. monsieur. I am
Pierre - Then looking over
Gregs shoulder, You are alone,
ON O."
The officer smiled 'Oui. I am
lone
This way. monsieur" Pierre
turned toward the cunousiy mar
Tow dining room, then stopped abb
|fuptly. You are not. by any
chance. Lieutenant Rollins. non 30
Greg matted in surprise. Yes.
, am Lieutenant Rollins. but how
n the world
/ Pierre's face fairly beamed. He
waved eXcitedly toward table
IN the corner. and Greg's heart
stood still. It was dream. It
must be cruel dream that
. But. no, she was actually
smiling at him and reckoning to
the other chair. II was Joan Da-
war,
As if in daze. Rollins approach
cd. Automatically. he removed his
cap. tucked his cane under his left
arm and Bowed. Still automatic
lily, he sat IN the chair as Pierre
placed it under him.
She was smartly attired IN civil
ian clothes bottle green tweed
suit topped by sailor Breton.
Her face was flushed with pleas
.ure.
Good evening. Greg, aren't you
glad to see me ."
Rollins finally found his tongue.
.!mpulsively he reached out his
hands and clasped hers of
course l am, Joan. I'm so glad l
could e. . no matter what
She laughed happily Il knew
you'd say that. You are a very
lovable person. Greg. l phoned
ont to Aldershot this evening and
found you had gone on leave.
There was only one place I could
hope To meet you. and even then
7 doubted but You remembered.
Creg's face was troubled but he
sfill held nor hands in his across
the table Forget it. Joan. You
must have escaped, and you are in
danger. WHAT can We ="
She laughed again. gently re-
moving one hand Just a min
ute, Sir Galahad. I'm disobeying
the strictest OF orders IN showing
YOU this paper, but I'm a woman.
too, and. I'm afraid, rather in
love She opened a folded letter
from her purse.
Greg's eves widened as he read.
Il bore the letterhead Of the Brt-
ish intelligence and was signed by
one OF the most famous names in
England
The letter WAS addressed 10
Agent R-72 Joan Connaught' and
contained warm personal conErstu-
lations for your most commend
able counter espionage work IN
connection with Troopship Convoy
NIX"
Mixed joy and bewilderment
stood out on Gregs face But.
Joan. what -
Not so loud she warned in =
low tone. There are many things
I can tell you. and l know they
will remain a secret He nodded.
I haven't the time to go into de-
tail SO III be brief.
Il was planted in the German
embassy at ottawa through de-
.vious channels Is months before
the outbreak Of the war and short
y before You sailed. I drew an
Other assignment. To play the role
Of nurse with the name Davasr
ON T g.
Evidently the intelligence had
information as To which ship the
Nazi agent was on. or had
counter espionage agent on each
.roopship-fhatI don't know. The
.rlstron. a Winnipeg woman. had
no choice but 10 accept my official
credentials as nurse on T Q
The first night on deck the
night l mad 10 lie about smoking
remember o." He gunned. I
Knew I was on the right track be
cause I saW the flashes. evidently
10 some other agent on land But
the party managed TO slip away
before ! ceald cover the distance
ION the forward end Of a deck.
Anyway. yau popped W, and I had
10 MAKE an excuse 50 thst an
-lsrm wouiin b. spread and the
gent 90 INTO 4 shell.
I kepJ watching the hight
flashes from the battle cruiser in
order n keep IN touch with what
vas going on. ! knew the code