The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-08-07
% SERIAL STORY
Murder in Convoy
Copyright. 1sti. MA service. Ine.
IContinued fron Page 81
BY A. W. OBRIEN

Continued from Page s.
clear and bright sunshine bssked
the dramatic scene.
Tees and Rollins elspped one
another OF the back enthusiast
tcally. Were off" yelled tbs
lieutenant. 7 was beginning 10
think 1t would never happen 10
us
Tees smiled. "Oh. 7 thought
we'd san al right. but who would
have thought II would ~ Ike
this - He made a sweeping
gesture. 7 expected 70 slip out
in the darkness with everything
very hush-hush. Instead. the
bands are playing the boys are
yelling and singing their heads
off Just look over there"
It g. was in the channel now.
The men could see long stretch
Of shore line thronged with peo-
pie. Au o m obiles dotted the
crowds Flags, handkerohiefs and
hands were waving. Hundreds Of
horns could be heard through the
din. Overhead. r. c. A F. flying
boats circled lazly.
Within short time ct 2" was
in sight OF the anti-submarine de-
Tense stretched across the en-
/ trance to the harbor. As the liner
moved easily through the Gate
an opening in the cable netting
that pulled aside like fence gate
"a sailor on the launch patrolling
the defense yelled: Give it to
en- boys
The wind was beginning 10 howl
off the endless ocean wastes.
Sharp fleeks of snow bit into red
dened checks and men dashed
away to reappear with overcoats.
Already gray drsbness was
melting out the Nova Scotian
coastline and the rolling swell was
becoming more pronounced. Half
hearted jokes about seasickness
began to circulate.
Ahead, the panorama was SPELL
binding In wide semi-circle
were British and Canadian men,
of-war moving slowly while the
convoy was taking shape. Dot
ting the horizon, far TO the fore,
was the line of freighters.
In the center of the semi-circle
appeared an ominous-shaped bat
tie cruiser. Darling light flashes
snapped out orders to the APP
Iproaching troopships. They were
already zig-zsgging sharply as
they turned ponderously, yet
without seeming effort, into for
nation.
Suddenly, the whistle on It g.
began emitting a series of long
and short hlasts-it was the life
boat alarm signal
Tees and Rollins, standing up
near the pitching bow, looked at
one another startled, then laughed
Outright:
It's the lifeboat drill they
warned us about yelled Tees az
he started on the double for his
boat station. Rollins was right be-
hind him. but something on "A"
deck caught his eye. He slowed
to a walk.
There was the nurse-the same
one he had encountered last night
on the deck. The lieutenants eye
brows knitted into a frown as he
saw her evidently making no
effort to dash for her boat station.
She was peering intenly through
a pair Of powerful binoculars at
the battle cruiser from which the
light flashes were coming.
Rollins stopped directly below
her and was Just about to yell
reminder that the alarm was
sounding when she lowered her
glasses, gave him a plainly
startled look, then wheeled and
o. disappeared.
Lieutenant Gregory Rollins was
puzzled as ne stood at his station.
Why the binoculars? Why the
rapt interest that even a lifeboat
alarm didn't disturb
But, most puzzlng of all. where
, had ne met the girl before their
encounters aboard ship. 1t had
been somewhere interesting and
on some important occasion. But
where and when
ITO BE COntinued)