The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-08
Is SERIAL STORY THE EDGE 0F DARK NlESS
 eopvR,oAr, sBY WILLIAM WOODS saA ssss,cf INC.
A q k
.aaA INC.

suddenly the captain Stormeo out from behind his desk, shaking his fist at the pastor. What ousi- ness have you with funerals?" he cried. What do you know about dyingP Have you read the Fuehrer'S speech? Have you heard what German troops are doing? Dying against those fiends in the Russian mud for you for all Europe"
 Herr Kapitan," the pastor in terrupted,
 You talk" the captain shouted. You make plots and speeches. You sneak about for those Russian murderers and the degenerate Enclish.r His voice screamed out, louder and louder. But We are pouring out German blood so that YOU can live. And we are inrinci- ble." He pounded his fist on the dask, smashing it down on every word. Let them spend their bil- lions. We have machines. Every hour of the day we have eighty million hours of German labor. Do you know what you can do in eighty million hours"
 Herr Kapitan."
 No" With an effort Konig controlled himself and went back to his seat. T forbid it. Orderly, he cried. "Tll have any man shot who goes into that church today" Louder, Orderly AS far as your school teacher is concerned, threw him out of here once be- fore orderly, damn it. he cried at the top of his lungs. For all of me you can throw him into the sea"
 Out doors the spruce boughs claShed against the window. IL bust be bitter cold. No coats or blankets for those down in the VII laqe. Soon. when these troops strip bed the town bare and went to join those who had gone before across Sweden and Finland to fight the Soviets there would be mo- thing left, no even food.
 The soldiers grew louder. listen ing to news bulletins in the restau- rant, tramping down from the upper hall. Determinedly Gerd got ledger out of her desk oraW- CT and began to work.
 The first bell for supper sound ed. Outside. the radio was turned of, and she heard the babble of dozens Of mems voices. More boots came down the stairs; the front door opened and then slammed shut again.
 She heard the second bell. IL buzzed through all the rooms ana corridors. There was scrapmg of chairs, and the voices hushed.. The captains door opened, and scores of hobnailed boots clicked as the men saluted. An order snapped out. The chairs scraped again. and the murmur of voices picked up, but in a lower Key. , Gerd went to the kitchen door on the far side Of her office and or dered them to bring supper in to her on a tray.
 She ate alone, listening to the chatter of knives and forks in the next room. When she was done, the cook came and cleared her plate away. The radio played dance music in the next room and it seemed to her that all her life had been like this night. lone ly and cut of. She got out her books and went seriously to work. Page after page red and placK lines and ciose-kn!t figures ! The wind blew harder at the house and started the doors and win dows rattling.
 IL must have been about 10 o'clock when the noise in the next room lapsed suddenly into silence and lifting her head 10 listen. all at once she heard frcm out of doors faint distant rumbling 1 like thunder A moment more t was still; then in the restaurant 1 there was a quick commotion. A soldier cried out: chairs scraped back to a shuifling Of boots.
 No. to the left" somebody .houted. Right between those two trees"
 Lights out. for Gods sake" A man pounded at the captains door.
 "Quietl" Others took up the order. "Quiet!'
 Gerd went around to the front of her desk and waited breathlessly. In the next room 1t was utterly still, but she thought she could hear, like some monstrous animals breathing. the quick breathing Of 50 men. and now and then a husied whisper. Wait. Listen"
 "Ja. Ja," somebody cried. That's i ours
 Gerd flung open the door. At first she could not see in the dark ness. but then she had made out the black figures of the troops crowded over at the window. She went to her alcoye and stood with one hand on a wooden post.
 "At least F miles" a voice cried out.
 Look"
 What is it ?" she asked aloud
 Prom somewhere the captain hayked out" kientenant. LAov-