The Ely miner., 1942-08-27

VA sAAS way 1Ok tkiC IllSIlt.
Dinner time approached. This
was the night Bill Henderson would
be in for dinner. And that talkl
Curt was thinking, as he blew smoke
rings ceilingward. He'd make the
mug talk! But how to do it with
out Lee wising up?
Thought of Lee was his Nemesis.
She came breezing into the room,
shooed him off the bed, made him
dress.
We'll give Bill Henderson one
hour, no more," said she firmly, lay
ing out print dress. 'I've planned
dinner so. Unless he's changed +. :"
Wrong this time, honey" Curt
said cheerfully. He tucked a clean
sport shirt inside his fresh white
ducks. "Tell you what, I'll bet you
the evening at the clubhouse that
Bill gets here in one piece and sober.
I'll even dance with you without an
argument"
Lee snapped him up on that. cts
bet and I'll hold you to it, Master
mind, see if I don't! I can get Ines
to stay this evening, in case the
kids wake up" She whipped up the
print dress, put it back, and pushed
hangers back and forth. Lets see,
something to dance in
She selected pastel organdie and
Curt found himself pressed into
service, to fasten the rhinestone
shoulder buckles.
The hour passed and Bill Hender-
son hadn't arrived. Curt became
gradually quieter during that time,
fiddling unconsciously with his pipe.
Lee knew the signs, knew he was
puzzled and disturbed. She ragged
him some about giving her the eve
ming so glibly, and made show of
getting out his coat and panama
"Just to be ready" But they sat
down to dinner alone.
The meal was not yet over when
the phone rang. Lee answered
''For you, DEAR" she said, one
hand over the transmitter. Her nose
wrinkled as at bad odor. " The
Dark Lily And you're not to go
back to the office tonight, you hear
me? You lost fair and square, and
it's my evening. We're going to the
club!"
Curt frowned as he took the re-
ceiver from her. Montaya's words
were crisp and direct.
81 have just been told from Tenn
pujo that Mr.. Henderson has had
an accident. He is unconscious and
sinking rapidly. AS you are an old
friend"
''I'n be right along. You're going,
of course? Can we use a plane?"
"Sorry, we have no lights at the
Tempujo field for night landing. You
can get to the station in five min
utes, no? Bueno. DR.. Berry has
been notified"
''I'Il be thereI
Curt sprinted to the bedroom and
returned buckling on his gun belt.
He grabbed up his coat and hat,
gave Lee flying kiss and explained
on the way to the door.
Henderson Accident. Tempujo.
Be back when l get here"
Besides the mestizo driver in the
car that clanked down the mountain
side, there was Montaya, spotless as
usual from fresh white shoes to pam
anna; DR.. Berry, the American head
of the hospital; young burnt-blond
fellow named Lister, carrying cam
era, flash, tripod and finally, Curt.
Montaya was saying: 'It would
appear he was drunk i. you know
his failing, Mr.. Curtis. So long as
he did his job I had no objection,
but this :"
There had been brief rain to-
night, clearing the atmosphere.
Though the airfield was full kilo-
meter away, grinding around a
curve Curt saw plainly the lighted
swimming pool and could make out
tiny figures diving. Two more hui
man ants were at tennis on the
bright court.
Very little was said during the
run to Tempujo, which took scarce
ly thirty minutes. On the lower bad
ly ballasted stretches the car rocked
dangerously. Young Lister chewed
gum incessantly, vigorously; Mon
taya smoked his oversize Turkish
cigarettes, lighting one from anoth-
er-he was on his third as they hit
the many switches of the storage
yards. DR.. Berry dozed.
Henderson was stretched out on
an examination table in the dispen-
sary, in charge of DR.. Fisher,
newly graduated inferno from the
States. DR.. Fishers chief duties at
Tempujo had been dishing out quiz
nine or bandaging minor hurts of
the laboring force, and the present
case seemed to be beyond him.
But so was it beyond his superior.
DR.. Berry Strengthened up after an
examination of only few seconds.
| to shake his head.
Hopeless" he said bluntly. "Both
legs broken, and several ribs-at
least five or six; a blow on the
back of the head that has probably
fractured the skull; the chest caved
in, one lung punctured. It's won
der he wasn't killed instantly-or
that he's lived this long,"
Bill Henderson was still alive,
though unconscious, and frothing
pink at the mouth in his wracking
efforts to breathe. He'd lost great
deal of blood. Young Fisher kept
swabbing the lips clean with gauze.
"He can't last more than a few
! minutes at most"
Still about Henderson was the
smell of raw whiskey. Curtis
thoughts were bitter. He'd seen so
many men - good men, clean of
heart-lose out here in the tropics
| because of drink. Now, Bill Hen
derson. And only few days ago
Bill had said he'd been on the wag-
on for some time. To be sure,