The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-11-30

noon he started up the hill. First under the trees, he climbed slowly on a matted pathway of dead leave; trying to plan what he would say When the first rise was behind him he went faster and faster cutting across the valley with the stream al its center, and then up the othei side along the forest rim.
 It was dim under the trees. KarI had not covered a hundred yards before he saw her coming down the ridge opposite, leading a young calf on a rope. Her yellow skirts swirled between the trees and then vanished again. He heard the calf lowing. and then the crunch of her boots on the peb- bles, and found it very difficult tc breathe.
 When she turned a bend she saw him. and stopped with her arms straight at her sides, but the cali kept walking and pulled her slow ly along.
 After a moment he forced him. self to say, "Gruss Gott, Karen
 "Gruss Gott, she answered slowly.
 Then he looked over at her. Her round, yellow head was turned upward. The speckled sunlight fitted over her dark blouse and bodice, and over her firm and rounded rams. He saw her black boots, tight about her firm calves halfway to the knee.
 T got them muddy in the farm yard the bootS,' she said They're getting awfully old though" And then she looked straight up at his face. He took one step and flung his long arms awkwardly around her held her close, both of them silent and breathless. She put her head on his shoulder and said, T thought you would never come"
 Up in his chamber Ruck paced back and forth. caught by those breeding fears that always possessed him in the last hours of an assign ment. Four nights ago the British had landed him down the coast in a fast launch. In Namsos he had showed his forged credentials and communicated a staff car and driver saying he had come up by train from Copenhagen. But now the only way out was to go north. so at noon he was taking the passenger boat for Narvik. There he would go to his rooms. get passport and fresh clothing, and some time the fol lowing night, catch the little local train down over the Swedish bor- der.
 He burned his notes carefully in hte grate and broke up the ashes. Most of the night before had been spent memorizing coastal geography, gun emplace- ments, materiel. anti-aircraft po- sitions. Like thousands of other men scattered in all the cities and towns of Europe, he went over in his mind all the instructions ne had received. Nothing forgotten No slips made.
 He was standing at the window when a knock came at the door He went over quickly and opened His heart sank. In the binding light that flooded through the broad, open windows, he saw her slender dark-haired girl.
 Seeing her brought back those old days when they had called him the crazy Englishman. that Sunday morning in Warsaw ir the last summer before the war He had gone out for a gallop un. der the trees in the LaZienki Gar. dens and met the Germa nmili- tary attache cantering with g Polish girl beside him.
 Good morning" he had called in English. Beautiful, isn't it?'
 Good morning" the ofiicei had smiled, and pulled up tc shake hands.
 "Wer ist er?" the girl asked looking interestdly at Rllck.
 Fin alter Freund," said thu OTncer, ana then ALSO III EIlSilSL for Ruck kept his German gooe secret, T really do have a fine here. What do you think ol her?"
 Ruck glanced laughingly at tho 1.-the little body that sat so proud ly in the saddle. He was caught by her flushed cheeks, and tho large and clever eyes.
 Tell her" said Ruck. "tha' she's the most beautiful thing ir Warsaw"
 The German officer translated his words to the girl, and she smiled at Ruck for the first time
 She's a new comedienne al the State Theater," he said, Per fectly unspoiled. Only look al her" He licked his reins at the horses head and started of.
 He saw Katja at the theater that night and thought her delightful He bought her little girs, and they became good friends. He never let her find out why he was