Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-07-19

yet he again struck a match and
| STOPPING down, he saw for the first
time Kittys face. She looked older, In
credibly older, than when he had last
/ seen her. Her eyes were glazed, wide
open, and-an at once her jaw dropped
A fearful suspicion gripped him, and
I turning he rushed upstairs.
What was it he had come up to
find? He hardly dared to tell himself
Recklessly he turned on the light and,
after a few agonized moments, he
found his civilian shaving mirror in
his kitchenette cupboard
With the mirror clutched in his hand
he went down to where Kitty was ly-
ing, and kneeling on the cold stone
landing, he put the mirror against her
hideous gaping mouth.
He kept 1t there, he could not have
said how long-it seemed an hour to
him-but in reality it was five drag
ging minutes 1t remained clear, I'M
furnished.
During the last few months, Jock
Benson had again and again seen
death in many an awful and terrible
form. But never like this. Never like
this.
Poor drunken little Kitty had not
fallen soft. Kitty had broken her neck;
and for the second time he was free.
But this time her death, instead of
cutting a knot, had bound him, as
with cords Of twisted steel, to deadly
peril.
Slowly he got up from his knees.
Unless he went and jumped over the
parapet Of the embankment into the
rivera possibility which he actually
envisioned for few moments-he knew
he must go at once to the police and
make, as the old saying goes, a clean
breast of it. After all he was innocent
of even a secret desire Of encompassing
his wife's death. But would 1t be pos
sible to make even the indifferent,
when aware Of all the circumstances,
believe that?
Yes, there was one such human be-
ing, and as he thought of her his
heart overlooked with gratitude to
God for having made her known to
him. Elsie would believe him. Elsie
would understand everything, and
nothing mattered.
It was curious how the thought of
Elsie, which had been agony few
moments ago, now filled him with a
kind of steadfast comfort.
AS he hurried up the empty street,
there came another warning. The
sweeping heavy tramp of feet once
more taking cover, followed by the
crash Of the triumphant barrage,
deafened his ears.
Then the barrage stopped Again
there was fighting In the sky, and he
heard the cracking of the guns.
At the top Of Peter Place he passed
two shadowy white-clad figures, nurses
talking eagerly together, and for an
instant he toyed with the thought of
telling them Of the accident which had
Just happened. The he decided that
no, it would be best to go straight to
the police station. One Of the nurses
turned her torch full on his face: Can
we get to the Embankment this way?"
mo, you must go twice to your left"
AS he hurried on, across the Strand, |
it was as If he saw a nurse standing |
In the witness box at trial with him
self in the dock, on charge Of having |
murdered his wife.
Dark as it was, he saw the few people |
there staring up at the sky. Silly foolsl |
That was the way to get bit of shrap-
mel in your eye.
All the same he followed their ex-
ample, and far above his head, or so |
It looked to him, he saw what ap- |
oeared just like flaming basket made
Of red hot strands, hanging betwtxt
earth and heaven. Why, that must be
4 Molotov BreadbasketI He felt a
sharp thrill. He had never seen
before The raiders kept
hem for London.
There came a series Of loud explo-
lions, followed by the thunderous sound
If buildings disintegrating, as If
rushed in some mighty giants hands.
But Jock Benson was only dimly
aware of what was taking place In
What was to be classed as one Of the
worst of the raids on London; and
having fastened round Convent Gar
len, he saw at last a dimmed lamp
moving where stood the police station.
The big door was ajar, and he found
himself in large, bare, dirty-looking
room, filled with about a
lozen men and women.
A policeman, in their midst, was
houting angrily, CLEAR out, all of you
uho hava M haIsineSS heref Clear ont