The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-19

suit. lie even pfopfu kinkeft
through multi-eolored articles in
bureau drawers with the forlorn
hope OF finding some letters.
The next room lay behind a
locked door. A brief inspection
told Dawson that skeleton keys
wouldn't work here. From a vest
pocket he produced = strip 81 eel
luloid about six inches long and
two and one.haif inches wide.
Praying that the door was held
only by a single spring he poked
into the minute opening -. sh.
he was In luck The lock slid
back easily.
Slowly opening the door. Dsw-
son explored the interior with the
thin ribbon of light from his flash
before turning on a switch.
He whistled under his breath
at the sight that greeted him. The
rooms walls were covered with
air charts and assorted diagrams
and photographs. There was a
large radio receiving set. two
desks, an unusually big world
globe. a filing cabinet. and three
bookcases containing reference
books.
The air charts interested him.
II took only . few minutes for
him 10 decide what they were -
the charts. marked with numer-
Gus probable routes" dealt with
the Royal Air Force Ferry Com.
mand operations. Vari-colored
pins were tackled on points
throughout the United States and
colored string ran from one TO
another-it was notable that most
Of the ones in the u. =. A. con-
yerged on Chicago.
He looked above 10 the right
noting the courses through Mon
tresi and up TO Newfoundland. IL
had the right location Of the Sc
cret take-off airport. Six black
pins were situated at a number
OF points and Dawson glanced at
an index on the wall.
BLACK pins" he read. indicate
reported locations Of known
crashes To date
other lines puzzled him hsz-
ny. he recalled having seen ones
like them somewhere. Then he re-
membered. They had been on the
charts In the meteorologists de-
psrtment at the Ferry Command
airport In Newfoundland - nests
OF concentric osals In black lines
were the "isobsrs" lines Of equal
barometric pressure. Across these.
great curves. drawn In crsyon.
Indicated warm and cold fronts
"A large red eovs<ed book on
the nearby desk confirmed his
opinion. The book contained
weather reports. from Sewfound.
land 20 FLORIDA. dating back over
the past nine months.
Beside the book mimso-
graphed sheet caught his eye =
publicity release from the News
Bureau Of Nova Scotia. with m
address in New York city.
The release stated that mo re-.
strtctions on off-shore fishing
along the Nova Scotia coast have
been suggested as yet and no u
cense cards are required and
fishermen 20 out daily - before
the war" IL went on 20 state that
unless something very unforeseen
occurs no restrictions would b
put on the pastims In 1912.
Evidently the lads are interested
in off-shore fishing along the Al
iantie coast. Dawson noted for 10
turs consideration.
Time was passing with danger.
Gus rapidly. but the large fiiins
cabinet demanded brief study
He tugged At the handles. but al
the drawers we're Oeksd. ~
studied the top lock carefully BE-
fore selecting a tiny key resem'
bling a twisted hzlrpin from nil
skeleton collections.
Bending down. Dawson shOsee
the key slowly into the keynote r
suddenly he felt a tingling ssnsa'
ton followed BY one % sinking
into an ocean of feathsrs Tn
SOUND ~ a changing bell came u
his ears from across an eternity 81
distance growing DINNER and
DINNER.
When consciousness returned