The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-12-30


ged him, then rae over and
turned the key I'm the wine Gel
lar door. II had all be N done so
quietly not EN- the prisoners
heard a sound.
"Gunnar. Kaare. Nj. Quick.
Gunnar walked out and Kaare
hobbled after him. They held
their arms up aga;r"t the light,
and helped Nils Brategaard be-
tween them. for h was too weak
to stand. Their faces were black
with dirt and a six-day beard.
The shoemakers jaw and the
side of his head were still grimy
with crusted blood.
"We 60 out the back" said
Osterholm. Here, I'll helr you"
He stopped and life the sick
man onto his boulder. and then
without a word more made for
the stairs.
Have you guns for us?" ask
ed Gunnar.
eyes. It'll break in a few min
utes."
Hurry" .Gerd whispered
down at them.
Osterholm nodded, and still
carrying the sick man, dashed
out and across to the trees. He
made ii barely in time. When the
path was clear again the shoe
maker followed, hobbling across
the snow, and after him Gun
mar.
One of the soldier must have
heard the men moving in the
brush, for he called, who's
there?" and VIII n no answer
came, fired into the dsrkness.
Gerd had or nomen more to
make up her mind, blu then she
saw the soldier comm toward
the door, blocki' her way out.
She ran back along the hall to
her room. Men we're already
tumbling down the stairs from
the upper landing.
Among the trees, Osterholm
gathered them ound him. "I'll
take Brategaard down that way"
he said breathlessly, and point
ed toward the left. you, Gun
mar, kaare, down to the right,
and get into town from the road.
Sverre, get back to the men on
the heights. If they try to come
in toward the r tel they'll be
trapped between the garrison
and the 200. ~e'' them to break
and get through to Kjerlof on
the north road"
The boy nodded and was gone.
They heard troops rui ming about
in the inn. A light in the hall
way was turned on. "ki ct you at
Malkens store Cunna~ called,
and then he and the shoemaker
slid off into the lark.
Osterholm lifted the sicl man
again. II can make it, Knut,"
Brategaard kept laying. II can
make it. Let me down." The far
mer paid no attention.
Just as he was starting, il
came, what he had been waiting
for, and the cold ran down his
back. Loud and clear in the
night air, like some monstrous
clock b eating the hour, the
church bell began tolling, sound
ing the alarm all the miles
from the ford to the north road.
He smiled to himself, grimly and
happily, seeing in his minds
eye the pastor, sweating and
pulling at the hope with all his
strength. Hardly a minute pass
ed, and then from the south
came a low, muffled, like a
drum roll.
There goes the bridge" he
thought. "Trygve knows his
work"
From the square came the
sharp rattle of gunfire. That
would be Malken and the others
disposing of the guards. Every
man had done what he was as
signed. 1t had all taken less than
two minutes, and now they had
the garrison closed in on three
sides.
He shifted his burden, and
keeping a sharp ear open for
the soldiers, started around in
a wide circle toward the town.
When Gunnar got down to the
dark village at about half past
six, machine guns were already
in place at the foot of the hotel
path and on the roads leading
north and south, and farmers
and fishermen were pouring
from all directions into the
square. Behind them came the
wagon, loaded with guns. that
had been left at the farm and
sides of meat and timed soups
smuggled for months past out of