The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-04-30
ATTACK
CHAPTER iii


SYNOPSIS FOR STORY FRIDAY 49,.
THE STORY Allison Topping, society
girl, Is off To Guatemala, To run her IA
Tiers chicIe plantation. On board ship
she meets Barry Fielding. mining ensi-
neer. also bound for Guatemala. Barry
remains in his stateroom, reading books
and writing TO Lila Harrison, his iianeee'
Al Santiago, Allison and her companions
lure him ashore to Visit ousne ina'.n'
when playful Allison admits that she In
vented the Indian story as a ruse' he Is
annoyed and disappointed.
When the new moon was high
in the black, star cleaning sky
they rode in the small, rocking
tender back to the freighter.
The two Brazilians and the light
house keeper joined in a senti-
mental trio, with Allison hum
ming an obbligato-
when you and | were seventeen
And love and life were new
Barry, watching the girl, unused
with light bitterness that she had
the trick of making even rag
ged assemblage like this seem a
complete and balanced party.
They struggled aboard the
freighter. One of the rubber men
pounded Barry on the back with
a yawn. Anytime ywant to see
Quiche about a mine, let us
know" he laughed rumblingly.
IS great fun"
"I'll do that" said Barry.
The three men drifted off to
their cabins, leaving Allison
with Barry-the prize she had
worked so hard to capture. When
they had gone. she lost some of
her gay sang -frOid. She dug a
hand into the deep pocket of her
light wrap for cigarets. AS he lit
it for her, she glanced up at his
:. lean brown face and dark, steady
'eyes. She sighed tiny sigh and
blew smoke ring.
II suppose, she said family,
50 'it's an apology, not kiss you're
waiting for
Barry chuckled in spite Of
himself. He lit his own cigarct
leisurely and flickcd out the
match. The warm night breeze
brushed it along the deck. LAS a
matter Of fact, it was neither"
he said.
Her upturned face was a
heart-shaped blur in the dark
ness. "A walk, maybe?"
She moved off along the rail,
a fragile figure against the black
silhouetted mountains of Cuba
which loomed behind her. Barry
followed.
Are you going back ashore?"
he demanded.
You mean-am l giving up
my jungle dream" she muir
INJURED blandly. Going back to
New York just because of few
words of warning you gave me
the night we sailed? No"
He said, II think you'd better
reconsider. I'll telling you, a
Guatemala chicle plantation is
no place for YOU"
The teasing laughter in her
voice was plain now. Maybe, :"
she said archly, IF you had spent
more time describing the horrors
of the jungle to me on the trip
down, and less time with your
old Quiche books. AS it is.
you fascinate me almost as much
as Guatemala. can't decide
whether it's because of the jeal-
Gus girl who brought you aboard
and practically dared me to. !"
Her voice broke off into laugh
ter. Il suppose l owe you an
apology for her, too"
You can settle that with
Lila" Barry said dryly. The
problem now is"
"Or whether" Allison unused
on imperturbably, "you fascinate
me because you're SO aloff and
mysterious. Why under heaven
would you be so intent on his
tories of the Quiche Indians? If
you were an acheologist, or
professor, or even student. But
you're a mining engineer"
There's no mystery about it,
/. Barry exploded impatiently.
Its matter of simple business.
Look. I'll make a bargain with
you. My business is on the conf
dental side. But I'll tell you
about it if you'll forget this crazy
adventure of yours and take
plane home from Santiago to-
night"
IF you'll tell me-" Allison
said breathlessly, Il promise you
Ill consider going home"
There was new note OF seri-
BUSINESS in her voice and Barry
accepted it as oath. He told her
his business with casual speed.
MY company sent me down
here because the United Nations
war effort is in vital need of
quicksilver. It's used in a hun
dred delicate instruments of
warfare. The Guatemala high
lands are one of the all too few
sources. And on the Guatemala
highlands live the Quiche In
r dams. Catch?"
Catch, laughed the girl.
Then she frowned. But why the
history books? Need you get so
chummy with them just to work
few mines?"
There the rub" admitted
Barry. I'VE don't work the
mines We do,,'t Lpo,, x,,horo