Evening star., 1941-07-17

10 CQe party. Sne naQ DeeIl crying
| 1t hurts like blazes when I try to
move. You better get me back tc
the post"
Sure, Jim. Take it easy"
Phil halted maneuvers, then. He
had two of the men fashion q
stretcher from two poles and coat
They lifted Jim Mason onto the
improvised stretcher and carried
him to the boats. The biggest OF
the boats was Phil's private cabin
cruiser and they got Jim Mason
minutes away in the cruiser.
Phil saw jim Mason to the hos
pital, then went to report to the
/ Old Man. Maj. Hammond sat at his
desk in G. H. c. and listened with
a scoWl on his florid face. Phi
told him of jim MasOn'S accident
first. then OF Verettis attack on the
civilian, Van Arden.
Phil Has Foreboding
Mock warfare, Captain" Ham,
mond said. And you have a casual
ty and trouble with a civilian"
THE casualty was an unavoidable
accident, sir"
And this Veretti AFFAIR.""
We'll, the human element was in
volved in that. An officer can't
Hammond cut him short with a
gesture. II don't want any alibiS,
Captain. Give me a written report
on this"
Phil said, Yes, sir" And swung
about to leave the office
He went across the hall to his
own room. He sat and thought for a
long time, gripped by a strange un-
easy feeling. He thought of Jim
Mason lying in pain, unable to
move, and of Jim's approaching
marriage. The lieutenantS words Of
yesterday came back to him. Jim
had said: Il have a scared feeling
that something will grab away our
happiness"
He wrote his reports for Maj.
Hammond. then walked to the small
frame building that was the post
hospital. Stephanie was walking up
and down in the lower hall, her
lovely face distraught. Helen Bren-
nan sat in a chair, watching the
younger girl.
Stephanie ran to Phil and grab
bed his arm with both hands. There
was tears in her sea-blue eyes, and
her voice was IN pieces.
"Oh, Phil They will not let me
see him. And he is so badly hurt!
He needs me. no?"
/ Phil Is Startled
you'll be permitted to see him
as soon as it's-safe," Phil said: and
! instinctively he put an arm about
her. Her shoulders shook She
buried her face against his shoul-
der. She sobbed heartbrokenly
clinging to him.
Phil looked up and found Helen
Brennan watching in an intent,
frowning way. AS If she disap-
proved. Phil caught himself up. He
hadn't actually realized that his
arm was about Stephanie. He gently
but firmly put her from him.
I'll go up and see how Jim is,
Stephanie," he said. And he walked
to the stairs, aware that Helen's
gaze followed him up.
Maj. Brennan was with Jim Ma
son. There was also male nurse
in the severe white room. Jim Ma
son lay still on the bed, his eyes
closed. No pain showed on his face
now
The medical officer said. 1T s
| nothing serious, Captain. A severely
/ wrench muscle in the back. Two or
three days rest will fix him up.
gave him a hypo. to cut the pain
and put him to Sleep"
Phil nodded. Take care of him,
Doc. He's got lot to be well for.
| Stephanie is downstairs crying her
eyes out. Could she come up and
look in on him? 1t would relieve
| her.
He began to walk to and fro in
the hall after Stephanie went up
stairs. He was upset, far more up
| forgotten Helen Brennan, until she
/ came and offered him a cigarette.
She held a match for him, too, and
she watched him with liquid dark
eyes. Her scrutiny made his nerves
stretch tighter, and that was not
only unreasonable but ridiculous.
You had a big day, little man."
she said. "A casualty-and a near
murder. Phil, you can't blame ev-
erything on a falling barometer" ="
News certainly travels fast
around here" he replied.
She said, Who is this Van Ar
den? I've heard the name some
where before"
Stacy Van Arden. You've seen
his name in the papers. His FAM
lily is very social, very Wall Street.
ish. Stacy is playboy, and spends
a lot of his time on a yacht as big
as a Navy cruiser. Last time he
made the headlines he had married
a Hollywood starlet. I think she
divorced him after couple of
| months"
"Oh," said Helen.
What does OH mean?' Phil
asked, eying her curiously.
Il was just wondering why an
Army private would want to kill
Stacy Van Arden" the girl replied.
And why our dear Stephanie
should almost faint when she heard
that Stacy Van Allen had almost
been killed"
Phil stared. thinking Helen was
Joking. But Helen was very much
in earnest.
tCopyrisht 1941, Chicago Daily News, Inc }