The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-04-14
SERIAL STORY
RxPLosloNi
CHAPTER xvu
BY CECIL cARNES

KxREOSI0Nt
 CHAPTER xvn
 1la Oermanl" Allan easped, staring at the swastlRa on the 3Asealge ok the plane that had ma enlne-gunned EScobers rUrales on shore.
 no, tho otAcer and Kay had come ~ their feet Co watch events from sae doorway Of the house, Esco- nAr's face was set and grim,
 s'Yes," he said, "Now eompre. bend certain hints I have had from Asia. It ts Germany working with thla Japanese frontl And Asia 6 the NaRl agent, which accounts for her authority over Watanabel" He added after 0 moments "I fear aenor, we have lost the last trick"
 sColonell Allanl Seew Kay was pointing exeitedly to the island pier. "fSnt that Pierre getting into n launch~
 "Yes," confirmed EScobOr sourly,
 wThe--the Vichy-livered French man is going out to greet his Ger man palSl"
 Apparently De rontanelle was doing eactly that, His launch was putt~puttlng toward the plane, he seated in the stern. A panel slid back in the side Of the bomber and several heads stuck out, their own CTS staring at the approaching wis. tor. When the launch was 20 pAces from It's goal, q harsh chal- leng0 rang out De Fontanollo stopped his engine promptly and curved away til his craft was Coating parallel with the bomber,
 He stood up, but his back was turned to the plane and he seemed Co be looking at the three persons grouped in the doorway of the prison bungalow, He threw up hiS head Go shout, and the words CNme Co them elarion-clear across the water.
 "Vive la Francew
 tTa turned like lightning to face the plane. Ills right arm went back. then snapped forward, Some object he had been holding--it looked like a small stick -- went hurtling through tho air to strike the bomber square nmidship,
 There was great sheet of red fiame, cloud of greasy black smoke, before the crash Of the eH- plosion reached the bungalow, when the smoke rolled away, there was no plane, no launch - no Plerrel
 "ThOt was the stolen briekl" thought Allan,
 From beside him, he heard tho swish of metal upon metal. He turned his head, EScobar had drawn hls long maehete from its scahhard. Facing the spot where Pierre had vanished, he wNS stand ing very still, very erect the hilt of his bright sword raised to the visor of his cap. A moment he held the pose, e statue in khaki; then he rec faxed and sent the machete ringing into its sheath, He looked grNvely at Allan md Kay sargent.
 "My friends" he said quietly, two have Just seen the death of q very brave manl"
 "But--but whyP" cried Kay Nl- most tearfuliy. Why did he do atq"
 "You don't understand, senorltap Do Montanelle was no traitor to his country after all, no faint hearted defeatlSt lie was an out- aYid-out Free Frenchmanl Free in spirit, that it, but chained in body, The Na2is controlled his actions, because they could threaten Injury to his mother, in Paris, The old German gAnol And now, young lady, we know why e man, hear ing of his mothers death, may show elationl r."
 "EscobNr" broke In Allan fran ideally; while listening, he had been watching the rurNleS resturn- ,fng to action on the Peninsula, "They've got battery of field plecesl Stop them, mNn--for Gods sake, stop themI That whole island is Q tmagasine of high exploslve--l" He spoke too late. So did tho colonel of rurales, who had prompt ly beloved a mighty "Holal" ct hiS distant men. Four small cannon let 70 with q roar, their well-aimed projectileS bursting against Q squat, concrete turret in the center of the main Island,
 So much Allan glImpSod before the world came temporarily to nn end, It was like all tho earth- auakes he had ever felt rolled Into one. A terrific concusslon flung him to the ground, where his body broke Rays fall aS she was thrown on top of him. The earth, the water and the skies were all gyrat- ing in c mad circle. The center of the big Island seemed to split open, throw itself up in the air, then crash slowly down upon It's own ruins. A pillar of Are rose from the debris like flames from the crater of c volcano
 "Oh, dodl AllNnl AllNnl my father-my father-l"
 'steady, dearl He may bo un- hurt in that docp cell where they kept him. I'll go right over"
 f1e scrambled to his feet and ran across to whero their guards, who had gone over in q body to the defense of the Island, had left one 6m..~aSa Tya agau gAtfiFu in uhnn