The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-14
3YNWlLlljAls.V WOODS
QUISLING CHAPTER XXN

NneLler hdI1 Ildu USSll oLA oSiA- ry duty the night before, and so was entitled to be away from early roll call. the corporal wrote him down, "Aosent but accounted fol" " So at six that morning when lie awoke and saw the cot beside him enuty, he was not at all alarmed.
 with the girl again" he thought, and smiled.
 But at s o'clock Karl had still not returned, and the corporal, with some misgivings about doing him a bad turn, lad to report him. It went down in his book under the date, December 1st. Private Fischer absent without leave"
 At 9 he was called into the cap tain's office to be questioned.
 At a little before 10, just after sunrise. Paul Hermann and the two soldiers, all white of face, re- ported that in the alley beside the shoemakers shop they had found fresh boot tracks made since half past three when the snow had stopped falling. Near them, under scattering of snow meant to hide t, they had seen a large red stain.
 Ali through the cold and gloomy lay, tense with foreboding, they searched. At little before 1t was already dark again.
 Up in the hotel, Johann Stens- gard sat with group of soldiers and played 2l for beers. The men wers nervous and stopped once in while to gaze out the dark, froS.ed windows. Something was afoot in the village.
 But Johann was feeling more cheerful than he had in weeks He was sure that here, for the first time in his life, he was appre- ciated at his true value. as a man who had made decision and ad- hered to- 1t in the face of diversity
 You Herr Stensgard," said one of them. "are you going to join up? There's the Norwegian bri- gade. you know, on the Russian front"
 Of course" Johann told him arrogantly. I'm going to'put just as much into this fight as any ot you"
 They looked away from each other. The game had stopped Johann had the uncomfortable feeling that everything they said was directed at him. that he was the outsider among them, and ir spite of all he had tried, could never be anything else. Well" he said. well, let's get on. What's wrong?"
 The man with the brandy leaned forward over the table. "Yor know" he drawled, there are some words that mean the same thing in German as in Norwegian.
 "Yes?' And the boy drowned surprisedly. What words?"
 "Quisling," the man said slowly
 Johann started up, face crimson with anger and hurt. He hae tried so hard to be one of them But now such hatred, and SC much of his fathers stubbornnes! surged up in him that he would dS -ACL lldNC 5OAAS buNh W VAl' village, If he had dared. "Quis' ling?" he said. "Quisling Yol mean traitor? I thought you were Germans, ad were fighting for { new order that would stop al wars, all imperialism, all eXploita tions. That's why fight. And witt an ideal like that before you, wha do old national boundaries or Ian euages mean? What differenc, does 1t make If I'm Norwegian ant you're German so lorg as we f1gh for the same thing? There are n' more nations. There are simpl, those fighting for what they knoV is the future and those who ar trying to obstruct. If Quisling be iieves in the new world, I'll sa. Long live Quisling'." He stopped pale and breathless, and was abou to turn when he heard his owl name called behind him.
 He wheeled. The corporal. witl ghastly face, was just walkin past, and there ill the office doc stood the captain himself.
 Herr Stensgard, could yoV come in for moment?"
 He heard the men spring to at tention behind him, and tried t assume military hearing himself "Of course, Herr Kapitan."
 Konig went into the office. Tn boy resisted the temptation to loo back. though the soldiers wer whispering excitedly together.
 The corporal said in a low voice "Karl Fischer has been murdere, in the village. His body was foun in the harbor."
 Johann. though he had no ide who the man was, felt a curiou uneasiness come over him. bu hearing the stunned silence at tn table. feeling how they were Q looking at him, he dared hesitat no longer. He walked into tn office and shut the door benin him. .,, captains first greeting that mad him feel at once that he ought | be on his guard. a . Konig sat down. hands nat Q lie desk. Lets get to the point Se said. you're record with Nai fonal samling in oslo IS exceilen Are you prepared to do your 1 du' he handed him the paper 6iN e@@r f r-l4sN Nes i