Evening star., 1941-03-08


where MountWyn stands Eng
lander sind Schweine ale. How soul
pleasing it, would be to wipe them
all out with an air bomb!"
The day will come. >. Let them
play and talk big now. 1t gives us
time-to work. Besides a bomb to-
night might kill some Of our good
friends"
That reminds me where is
he-?"
Talk lower" ordered the man
with the strangely mufled voice.
Brinda could not hear the reply
that followed. But she had heard
enough to know that she had stum-
bled upon the clue to the strange
happenings of the evening.
She forgot the chill of the enfold-
ing mist-forgot that these were
desperate men, ripe for murder. She
felt no fright-only eagerness and
the desire to hear more.
Brinda Is Discovered.
However, they were being more
cautious now and she could under
stand only an occasional word or
phrase. Several times she distin-
guished the name Mara She re-
membered with a thrill that it was
the name of the missing intelligence
agent-the woman whose recent
treachery even now threatened Sir
John with official disgrace.
Something was said about
getting a steamship passage for a
certain Fraulein. But this time
the name was inaudible.
The half-heard Colloquy caused
her to bite her lip in impatience. In
he anxiety, she pressed forward
against the evergreens. A dead tWig
broke with a sharp snap.
"Nanu!" exclaimed one of the
two voices. "Schnell See who is
there"
A stealthy foot sounded and a
hulking gray figure loomed out OF
the night.
Brinda opened her lips to scream.
Before sound issued, hand was
pressed firmly across her mouth
from behind. Fingers of steel pin
ioned her arms behind her back.
She struggled with all her might,
finally sinking her teeth into the
hand that closed her lips. She was
rewarded by an angry "Verfucht!"
and solid box on the ear.
Hurry, you two" said her cap
tor in German. Help me with this
wildcat"
Brinda kicked out wildly. But
powerful fingers seized her legs and
lifted her in the air. Blackness
descended upon her head-some
rough, heavy fabric. Hard fingers
pressed against her Jaws forcing
her mouth open for the insertion of
an improvised gag.
Brinda's Life Spared.
"Why take all this trouble?" de-
manded a voice. use the knife!"
mo, have better way"
Brinda felt the covering over her
head pulled a little aside. A faint,
sickish odor assailed her nostrils
Her head swan dizzily. She seemed
to be suffocating-then suddenly
utter darkness quiet =. sound
less, ightleSS oblivion.
The keen tang of swift-rushing
country air bonds biting into
her ankles and wrists, a soreness IN
all her muscles, an acid taste.
Brinda emerged from darkness
that seemed to have lasted for ages
Instinct rather than any reasoning
process told her to remain motion
less, to keep her eyes closed, to give
no sign she had regained conscious
ness.
Gradually she became aware that
she was in an amply powered anc
smoothly running motorcar. Or
either side she sensed the presence
of a hard, compact, male body
doubtless the same men who hao
overpowered her.
After long interval, one of then
spoke and Brinda was doubly
glad that she had remained quiet.
1t was the cultural, hollow voice
of the man who had taken the leac
in the previous conversation.
"Our Leader is growing SOFT" he
said. "Why should he spare thi;
English girl?'
"Halt'S Maul!" snapped his COM
panion. ut is our business to obey
not to think.